All that Jazz

Due to unfortunate circumstances my activities have been confined to a smaller and  more compact world. I’m told two or three weeks for the repairs to take place. There are a lot of negatives when you find yourself in this situation such as how to do stuff around the house, shopping , washing etc , but I decided on the second day of confinement to chase the positives.

Music was first of course as it is my life blood.   I stumbled on to a jazz band named Skinny Tuba on youTube putting me into the sort of moment where you think ‘if I had another shot at life I’d be like them’.  Never been big on jazz,  but I tell you what this little band is  a real feel good group. To watch them play is like seeing a really good movie, seeing animals playing, feeling rain after months of dry …I don’t know, they just seem happy doing what they love…and you get the vibe. There is a very relaxed dog with them too so they are good people.

The leader Shaye Cohn is an attractive and multi talented musician and her band is red hot. She controls them with slight movements of her right leg, her head and her body whilst playing trumpet. Seems to work really well.

Watching their clips I began feeling much happier and forgot the pain and discomfort. There are people dancing in some of them. One couple dancing to Storyville Blues –  her in a red pant suit and he with a Johnny Cash tee shirt get right into the moment….bless em!

The music from Skinny Tuba seems to have a inherent sort of joy to it and there are no arguments with how it flows …they settle in as smooth as a deck of cards and the solos are particularly enjoyable. The washboard bloke is a classic. So although I am still not fully into jazz I will add Skinny Tuba to my play list and feel good every time I hear their stuff.

I also found another ‘feel good’ option.  Get a Ched biscuit, swipe it with French Onion dip and place a chunk of Artichoke Heart marinated in oil on the top…hmmm.. scrumptious. You can also use sun dried tomatoes also marinated in oil …more bite,  but so nice.

It is unusual to find these sort of treats living in the bush …maybe the shop got their orders messed up I’m not sure , because when I went back to buy some more I was told ‘no longer available’ . The disappointment returned as I looked for alternatives…Coon cheese? olives in every configuration , tomato? Gherkins or bread and butter cucumber ?

Oh well I suppose I can go back and enjoy Skinny Tuba with a Ched biscuit and French Onion dip whilst I wait for my body to repair itself.

PERSPECTIVE

Sometimes I think and sometimes I don’t,

There are times when I know

But there’s more when I don’t.

I live in a place where there is no want

I have more in my life

Than eighty percent of the world –

I also have my two beautiful girls

Their children are like me too,

Living life with comfort and opportunity

But I’m not boasting, not shouting out

The thing is I still want more –

Food for the starving , peace for those at war,

It sounds patronising and slightly trite

To say I want less animals killed,

And the kids all home at night.

Man is greedy and heading for a fall-

It may be soon – or never at all

And I don’t do much about it.

I could I suppose, wave banners

I could write to pollies and papers,

I could attract attention to me

On social media with bad manners,

Gain publicity with outlandish words

And use it all to further a cause.

Thing is I just want to be quiet

I don’t have an agenda

And no special diet –

I don’t bet on horses

If I need it I’ll buy it,

I don’t support a team

So what is all this about?

What does it all mean?

The Earth is in control

Not a man, not a god.

It will show us in time

When the going gets tough

That anything any man says or does

Will never be enough.

A foot too far!

Blogging to me is simply writing about a notion that has been  buzzing around in my head for a while in an interesting and light hearted manner.   My head I should add, is not a repository for deep and riveting insights about how to get through the day , depression or any other barrier that presents itself in life. What it produces will never become a reference point for knowledge or instruction, however, the thoughts are original and occasionally  interesting in post form – as with many blogs.  Problem is, those thoughts don’t get written up at regular intervals and as a consequence, although I love ‘komtack’ I don’t visit it all that often.

However, with time on my side, I checked it today and  noticed there are advertisements for bloody foot repairs and maintenance scattered all through it. Now I don’t have much of an idea of how to fancy the blog up with ads, but I see on other blog sites nicely presented arty ads for Visa or travel,  but man oh man what do I get – bloody skungy foot ads …warts, hard bits, odour, nail problems??? Who wants to read about that when you are being transported through your few rare spare minutes by the posts of ‘komtack’ ?  Now I see why I don’t have a million followers….it’s just so obvious!

I don’t want to read about a hairy foot in a brownish fluid placed annoyingly after each post or even in between the paragraphs.

Top bloggers ( what?) constantly advise  you should make an effort to present eye-catching work or you will feel bad about yourself when the world at large fails to see you as brilliant and refuses to clamor for your work. Well, the ad department (who I presume placed the foot ad) has blighted my chances of being  famous and has been no help improving the site and against all their advice attracting followers – that’s for sure and certain.

Why not place a pleasant colourful ad on a struggling blog site even if it’s not always of mainstream interest,  allowing timely perusal of said blog (i.e.)  ‘komtack’ – without creating an impulse to tap out due to a proliferation of yukky foot ads.  It’s a cruel world and I’m heading for deep depression !!

The Bolivia Bash

Been some changes since this advertisement from November 1930 shows.  Eighty nine years after it was written the little hamlet of Bolivia is still surviving , although considerably smaller than in 1930. Times were hard with the Depression going on in that year and in 2019 it’s the drought making things tough. We did have nine artists playing  at the inaugural’ Bolivia Bash’  though and roughly seventy people who managed get there before bush fires cut the highway. OK it was a smaller gig than in 1930, but as mentioned – so is the population.

We made a fist of it with good food, good friends and good conversation all backed by good music. Unfortunately evacuation orders on the Saturday night meant it was over too soon, but nobody argues with firies or police. Strong winds were directing bush fire toward us and I imagine if there was a greasy pig around he would have been a little concerned.

Life in the bush is rarely easy, but small happenings such as the ‘Bolivia Bash’ play a large part in keeping spirits up when the future looks bleak. It will no doubt be on again next year …

 

 

Blowed if I know !

There are some things that are beyond my understanding. Before I clarify this let me tell you I am a senior and …uh- oh there goes one of the two people who were going to read this blog. Anyway, here are a few of those things which puzzle me …..

People who are not grateful for the things they have and fail to consider those with less.

People in sales jobs with no product knowledge or social skills….or interest in customers.

People who buy two large dogs and live in a one room apartment….in a complex.

People who convince themselves they can pay off a credit card with another credit card.

People who invest all their savings in one scam…sorry scheme, and get on TV to say how they were ripped off  – just to warn other dumb people.

People who think their new interest is AMAZING and want to get you to get involved in it to reassure themselves they aren’t the only gullible person.

People who tell you they will be there when you want a hand, but never show up.

People who borrow things and lend them to others and can’t remember who it was they loaned them to and  then are surprised when it is pointed out that they may be a bit thoughtless…and oh yes….

People who borrow already borrowed things and fail to return them to the original borrower.

People who relate the same experience over and over every time you meet ….and wonder why you doze off when they are speaking.

People who take offense at being told their children are out of control after they have almost destroyed the place they are in…which is often full of adults trying to enjoy a meal or a coffee.

People who spend a fortune on plastic surgery after which they look shit and wonder why people don’t seem impressed with the new look.

People who do blogs and believe they will make a difference to anyone’s life in the long term…it may happen occasionally, but it’s a long shot.

People who don’t like music and have no sense of humour.

People who create new IT programs and tell me they are making things much easier for me …here’s the thing…they aren’t!

People who do ghastly things to normal people ( let’s call them bullies) and then say they didn’t and immediately blame their neighbour… this one is to do with power, insecurity  and greed …and can involve whole countries…but it’s very satisfying to see ordinary folks getting together to make a change.

Yep lots of things….and another is I’m told old  people who write blogs dishing out sage advice… but you do learn as you get older and  knowledge should be passed on they say.

Well….. I tried.

 

 

Faith

I was thinking about the meaning of life today , as you do , and after I read a bit on it by Mr Google I was soon out of my depth and thoroughly confused with the words of professors and philosophers on the subject , but I read enough to see faith is a large part of it all.  However I was seeking a simple answer without getting into big words and heavy religion. I went on with my day choosing to keep it on the back shelf and just see what came to me.

Not long after this I noticed I was down to one toilet roll and eventually headed off to the corner shop to remedy that situation. I asked  my friend the laconic storekeeper, if he had any good deals on toilet paper. He said as we walked toward it, he had twelve rolls for $8, but he added, pointing to a large bundle this is a sixteen roll deal for $7.50. I asked if he believed they  were good quality and  wouldn’t  scratch or tear ? He assured me they were three ply and would be Ok.  Consequently I opted for  the sixteen roll deal.

When I got home I thought to myself that was a good demonstration of faith . Firstly I had faith in my friend’s honesty , which gave me faith these rolls would suit my needs without  failure in quality and finally my own faith that at my age I would live long enough to use sixteen rolls of toilet paper !

Pushing It

Music is probably the nectar of my life. Writing is something I also love, but that often requires considerable thought , planning and time. Music just seeps into us and is so powerful and stimulating when all we have to do is listen ….and maybe dance.  Obviously we have our favorite singers, musicians , instruments and other paraphernalia that rework those magical musical memories – good or bad, when we hear them. That little ‘zing’ we get from them is a brain tonic and is now recognized as a useful stimulant for many sicknesses…ironically many that are related to old age.

I say ironically because there seems to be a trend where singers from decades back are ‘doing the clubs’ like they did forty or fifty years ago when there was a pub culture and we could go to listen to a live band as they climbed the ladder of fame .

Many songs from those years are locked into my mind like small treasures which should remain unsullied for each playing. Now if these old geezers want to do new stuff  – singers or musicians – then maybe go for it,  but when singers  perform ‘original hits’ from four decades back, which they obviously have to do as the audience expects it, then with that expectation comes a mixture of pity, hope, disappointment and eventually a grudging acceptance that it was crap, but it’s forty years since they bought that particular hit out. We carry a vague hope they will do it like they did back then  …but they don’t!

Notes which can no longer be reached , teeth …white and straight as picket fences , the shaky strained voice, the outfit with the sparkles is a little taut over the elderly body shape, grey ( sometimes tinted) fairy hair and the dance moves …..well, I’m sorry they just look wrong with bony knees and skinny legs.

The frustration is compounded when they speed up or alter the lyrics of a past smash hit  in which every single note, riff and change has been welded into my brain….. simply to  patronise the fans ….yes that was our big hit …but we are tired of performing it so we’ll change it up a bit. No please ….don’t!

Phil Collins sings from a chair on stage ( and he’s still pretty good ) and his son does the drumming ( also good ) but it’s kind of an oh shit moment when you have just paid out the weeks grocery money for tickets.  Kenny Rogers has passed now, but he was almost unrecognizable from scalpel work and Willy Nelson who is an amazing performer, has quit a couple of concerts recently and gone home or to a rehab centre after one song.  Come on Willy just do studio work with your talented sons and drop the concert work. The Rolling Stones are just wrong and Rod Stewart comes across in interviews as a sad and silly old man who constantly points out he  is a billionaire….why keep going Rod ? Tom Jones voice is almost unaltered and he still looks OK, but he does look old and he never did drugs. Face it people age and hard living shows – especially under stage lights.

I can understand adulation is a drug and money is always useful,  but many of these codgers  need to find a real friend or family member who will look at them with a clear and honest appraisal and say ..’.it was a great ride but it’s time to wrap it up daddyo !’