Recently sustained by my normal breakfast of choice, marmite on two slices of Kingsmill wholemeal toast, I feel re-energised as I sit down to commence todays narrative. Will my creative juices fulfil me as much of the juices of the orange drink that accompanied the toasted bread? Only time will tell.
Of late, I’ve set myself a challenge of writing more than one blog per day. Although admittedly I’m not sure what the driver is for this desire to increase my daily literary output.
Could it perhaps be a fear of running out of ideas? Is it the fact I’m just having more creative epiphanys than normal? Or is it the case I want to stretch myself to see what output levels I can achieve when pressed?
I don’t know the answers to these conundrums. However, if you want to know the Arsenal goalkeeper in the 1972 FA Cup Final it was Jon Barnett.
This attempt to become a more prolific author led to me writing three blogs on Tuesday. Did I sacrifice quality with this increased quantity? To be honest I don’t think I’m the appropriate person to answer that question.
Blimey, I’m not answering many questions today. I now know how half-witted road sweeper Trigger (from TV’s Only Fools & Horses) must have felt during the Nags Head Monday night pub quiz.
This afternoon, I’m venturing to the out of town retail development Junction 32, which resides on the outskirts of West Yorkshire’s old mining community of Castleford.
With the colliery, pit waggons and ponies are long gone, the land now hosts top high street stores, an indoor ski slope, cinema and a scattering of restaurants.
As with a select few topics, I attempt to avoid expressing my political thoughts like the plague. Unfortunately, as with the other topics, I’m not overly adept at wholesale avoidance of political rambles…… With these inept avoidance skills in mind, it’s a relief I wasn’t around during the Great Plague in the 17th century.
Political ponderings are never far away when I visit Junction 32. In particular, the lands previous existence and its former key role in this mining community.
I was an employee of the National Coal Board (NCB) in Gateshead in the early 1980’s, when Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher and cohort Ian McGregor first introduced their pit closure programme.
This strategy saw scores of UK pits closed over the next 30 years, along with privatisation which eventually led to the end of UK deep mining by the middle of 2016. The result was three decades of mine workers being discarded, like the canaries formerly used to seek out underground gas pockets.
I have no affiliation to any political party, but my time at the NCB head office in the north east of England means I maintain a fondness for the decimated coal industry.
Despite living my life predominantly in areas of England dominated by Labour Party voters, I can’t muster the enthusiasm to nail my colours to their mast.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn does display more humanity and scruples than many of the self-serving rabble on both sides of the Houses of Parliament, but is he prime minister material?….. Sorry, I’ve no definitive answer again!
Unfortunately for Jezza an expensive haircut, a sharp designer suit, whitened teeth and spray tan now usurp principles in the contemporary game of Political Top Trumps.
In an era where the superficial overrides substance, how long will it be before mainstream UK politics is being fought between the Geordie Shore Party representing the left, and the Made in Chelsea Party on the political right?
Everytime I see Corbyn on TV, I can’t help but think his efforts to become prime minister are futile. Sadly Jez, as Paul Weller wrote in the 1970’s song Eton Rifles ‘What chance have you got against a tie and a crest?’
I’ll now bring blog number two for today to a conclusion.
Incidentally, Tory MP’s I’m only kidding about you being self-serving. You’re integrity should never be questioned. If anyone does, at least you can comfort yourself that at least you’re grooming is far better than that scruffy bleeder Corbyn!
