American Idiot: great music, shame about the show...

I saw American Idiot with some friends last weekend. We had great food, drinks and a catch up beforehand in Pearces, but I was sadly underwhelmed by the show. Now this might be entirely down to me lacking a musical theatre appreciation gene, because lots of the audience appeared to have a great time & even gave the cast a standing ovation (although the place was almost half empty). But I completely missed whatever the point was. The cast looked like children's TV presenters unconvincingly grunged up for the part. The only person with any stage presence turned out to be an evil drug pusher who got artfully shot in a surge of morals well before the end. The singer playing the main character's druggy girlfriend wasn't too bad either but she was largely wasted in wandering around almost naked and/or simulating sex with the main character. There was altogether an excess of trashy MTV sexuality - not least the pretty distasteful shortie nurse uniforms, unbuttoned to give a flash of buttock, in the M*A*S*H - er, Iraq - field hospital scene. Mind you, the squaddie invalid's harem-porn, totally inexplicable flying-dance-with-belly-dancer fantasy from his hospital trolley was hilarious. The plot was largely unintelligible to me (or maybe I'd just stopped paying attention), but was apparently teen-mag simplistic: what's better, hard drugs, joining the army, teenage pregnancy, or an office job? And the last scene with the mass guitar lesson was just weird, was dragged out at least 10 minutes after it should have ended, and nearly ruined Green Day's brilliant 'Time of my Life' for me for ever. But not quite. My completely unqualified advice is, go listen to the album again, but if you want musicals, stick with Mary Poppins.

Launderette

I haven't felt much like posting lately. Here's an old photo I like instead. Not one of the launderettes I visit most - they're much nicer, of course ;-) I think this one is long gone. 

Friday in the Botanics

Last week we finally took Dad on a trip out. We've been meaning to do it for months, but either the weather wasn't right, or I wasn't free, or Mum was busy, or Ashgill's minibus had a puncture, or Joanne wasn't working. Of course, once we did it, we kicked ourselves about why we hadn't just gone ahead and done it before. It was easy in the end, because everyone helped out. Mark drove us over to the Botanics in the minibus; Joanne was so enthusiastic; and we had a great couple of hours pushing him round the gardens, getting him try and taste the herbs and smell the last of the sweetpeas; we wandered round Kibble Palace; and had a coffee sitting by the fish pond. I think he really did get something out of it. Different views, fresh air, a beautiful place, autumn colours. Maybe some residual memory of going there in the old days; maybe enjoying being with Mum & me. I was reminded not to take a change of scene for granted. I'm going to try and take him out more regularly from now on. 

Uncle Paddy

Not been posting regularly for a while - many new experiences but not enough time to reflect. But I want to pay tribute to my Uncle Paddy, who died a year ago this weekend just passed. He was without doubt one of life's special people, who should have been around for years to come to keep on enjoying himself and making the rest of us happier. He was funny, charming, a ladies' man and a bloke's bloke, religious but irreverent, genuine, interested and interesting, down to earth, kind; a big man with a huge heart who went out of his way to help other people. I miss him, but I was privileged to have him in my life. Rest in peace Paddy, and I hope you and Jill are together again somewhere.