Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
In the movie Calamity Jane, Doris Day sang:- I just blew in from the windy city The windy city is mighty pretty Well, I’ve just blew in from the Minster city, which is similarly mighty pretty! ..... Although, the guy I chatted to outside of Betty's, who got his dentures from a car boot sale,... Continue Reading →
Yesterday a good friend, who has been hugely supportive of my writing, offered constructive feedback about the David Bowie ‘tribute’ monologue I penned on Monday. They informed me that, although it made them laugh, there were “too many blags (silly fictional references) for one hell of a guy” They are probably right and I appreciated... Continue Reading →
This morning I was saddened to hear of the death of David Bowie. In a era where new music predominantly comes in the way of insipid unoriginal offerings by boy/girl bands, reality TV contestants and boy/girl bands who were reality TV contestants, it's dispiriting to lose a true musical legend. Bowie was an original. His creative journey avoiding... Continue Reading →
I'm sitting feeling bloated courtesy of the mammoth Sunday dinner I recently consumed at my parent's West Yorkshire abode. The roast beef dinner I’ve just troughed could have fed an army. Unfortunately for the 3rd Battalion the Lard Arse Regiment, I ate it all before they turned up so it won’t be feeding them...... They'll have to... Continue Reading →
Brotherhood can mean different things to different individuals. It can be the bond between siblings, fellowship of kindred spirits or a fraternal/trade organisation, to name a few. I wanted to talk about brotherhood of the sibling bond kind in this blog. If I'd not mentioned it before, I'm brother to two younger siblings, Ian (2... Continue Reading →
British cycling coach Sir Dave Brailsford attributes part of his charges success, both within the Olympic velodrome with Team GB and on the road with Team Sky, to the philosophy of ‘marginal gains’; or ‘fine margins’ as it is sometimes called. He explains the strategy as such:- "The whole principle came from the idea that... Continue Reading →
I’ve just been watching a local news report about Barnsley’s Brian Dawson beating Bradford’s John Walton in the ongoing British Darts Organisations World Championships. Despite being a fan of the sport in my teens and early 20’s, I’ve not watched darts for years. Watching the report, I struck me how the 'go to' liquid refreshment of contemporary chucker's has evolved.... Continue Reading →
The monochrome scene created by thick nimbostratus clouds, with its associated precipitation, made the journey to St James’ Hospital particularly grim this morning. As I drove Karen for her four weekly treatment, the only apparent colour on display seemed to emanate from the red, amber and green from the plethora of traffic lights on York... Continue Reading →
I don't often write of serendipity. Not because I don't have pleasant surprises now and again. After all, what could be more serendipitous than my receipt of Anthony Worrell-Thompson underpants for Christmas.......... That's a brand by the way. They weren't actually Anthony's undies! .............. I bloody hope not anyway! My wee spouse Karen often... Continue Reading →