Thursday 2 August 2007

Shock Weddings, Persecuted Smokers and Rocking Bloggers.



This post is a bit like the Trinity, one post, three topics (I could have done three short, separate posts, but what's the point?

Firstly, I may have hinted recently that at the moment a lot of demands are being placed on my time.
You know what they say about buses, none come for hours, then three come at once?
(I have actually seen this happen with the Number 15 bus in Brum).
Well, it's like that with birthdays. Three of the next four weekends I lose to Birthday Parties. Not that I mind, but it the question of whether my body can physically take the challenge is an important one.

And then we received a bit of shock news on Wednesday. What I feared has come to pass.
On September 9th, The Chimney Sweep will marry his girlfriend in Zimbabwe.
I suspect she decided the location, and I expect reducing the likelihood of myself and The Baker being present, played a big part.

Because there is only one free weekend left for myself and The Baker before that date, that weekend is now marked for the stag do.
And no, we aren't going to lap dancing clubs in Prague.
Blackpool will do nicely.

But of course, I'm very apprehensive.
I almost feel like he's been diagnosed with Cancer.
He's my brother. Not in a blood sense, but he's my brother.

He might come and stay with us for a bit before the wedding.
I hope so. I need to be reassured he's going to be OK.



Not smoking in the pub is still not feeling right.
Still, the government have just created more criminals out of otherwise law abiding people.

Little secret. My landlord does this little lock in once a month. It's really a private party. He boots those out at half ten he doesn't want and then runs the pipes through (this should be done monthly). The Beers that is actually in the pipes, is distributed free to the happy few.
But this month, it felt even better.
Because the ash trays came out of retirement.

I forgot just how at peace you feel standing at the bar, fag in one hand, pint in the other.
You took that away from me, Tony.
God may forgive you, I won't.

And now for something, completely different.




The lovely Crashie nominated me for the blue one, guessing rightly, that I'd prefer that one.
Isn't she a sweetie?

I think there might have been some meme mutation going on, because I'm pretty sure when this one started, it only involved passing it on to one.
But the good thing is, it appears to be five now, which is great, because one would be very hard.

So I'm going to nominate five bloggers who deserve recognition of some sort, just for being cool bloggers.
I would have nominated Ruthie, but she's already got one, as has Welshcakes.

First up, Pommy, because he should have had a Schmooze award really, so I hope he likes this one!

Then we have Ed, who is branching out now and tackling the serious issues. Ed, stick the blue one up and tell Verity where SHE can stick it.

Eve rocks and is a girl. What more is there to say?

Raffi is going through blogging blues right now, but I hope he still likes the blue one better.
It goes better with the colourscheme of his blog.

My last choice is a little different, as it is a blog I only read for the first time the other night.
It is Blogpower's newest member.
And a great fresh perspective it is.
Kizzie is a Sudanese girl and adds a new dimension to BP that is not only liberating, it is enlightening.

This blog provides a great opportunity for rich white people, living in the world's richest sectors to see how an intelligent person living in the world that we ignore, views things. I think it's great that blogging gives us treasures like this.

So, same as before, if you're one of the five, remember to take your pressie with you- but give one to five other quality bloggers!

If you aren't, go check out those blogs!
You won't regret it!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent tip on Kizzie, not come across before and a really interesting read.

Anonymous said...

Ed - what's the trouble with the notorious Verity?

Anonymous said...

Thanks Crushed!

Plugged by you and Newmania - I must be doing something right. If only I had the time to write all the posts I want to do!!

Pommygranate - she and I fell out on another blog and she pressed the "he must be an idiot" button which p*ssed me off. She seems eminently intelligent, rounded and sensible the rest of the time so I must have hit a raw nerve or something. Hopefully no hard feelings though.

Anonymous said...

Well I for one love going to a pub or club and not coming home reeking of someone elses gross smoke.

Yeah I'm the fun police. What of it? ;)

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for the award; I've been noticing that everyone seems to have one (and wondered if it meant I wasn't popular...;-) hehe). It comes in good time, too 'cos I've got a list of bloggers to nominate (only, suddenly, I'm hesitating; won't the others reading the blog feel unwanted and left out? Ahh.. I know... I could give the awards to them personally... ;-)).

> I forgot just how at peace you feel standing at the bar, fag in one hand, pint in the other.
Ohhh....! I didn't know it felt like that...:-) Now I see what you're missing....:-)

Anonymous said...

Congrats mate. You can always say that he’s your ”brotha from anotha motha”

And regarding the award, you are most welcome cbi! Be aware that many new bloggers might dropp by, apparently my nomination was quite intriguing ;)

Cheers & have a wicked weekend!

Anonymous said...

I hope you have mailed my birthday present aleady...you only have a week for it to arrive! Sorry to hear about the wedding thing...that should be something happy to celebrate, but it seems as their are issues with that! What is a "lab dance"...what color, yellow, brown or black? Aren't labs dogs?

Anonymous said...

Grendel- One of the advantages of blogging, you see perspectives you just can't get in the pub.

Ed- She is a little opinionated, from what I've seen, but our paths don't cross.

Steph- Eighty percent of the drinkers at my local are smokers. So are ALL the staff.
Bearing in mind that I give the government £4.50 a DAY towards the NHS, along with the ACTUAL cost of the fags (ABOUT £1), I think I should have the right to drink in a pub full of smokers, of whom I am one.

Before the ban, there were several pubs which had no smoking sections. They usually sat empty.
Non smokers tend to want to be with their smoking friends.

Eve- I have smoked half my life. I haven't the willpower to stop, but it does cost me over a grand a year. It's an expensive addiction. But of necessity, true comfort to me DOES involve being in a place, where I can light up. They've taken the pub, the PUB of all places out of my comfort zone.

Crashie- Intriguing? what else would one expect from a paradox wrapped up in an enigma?

Jenny- Are you now my post proofreader?
Error corrected.
It's your birthday next week then?
Many happy returns!

Anonymous said...

Another nice post, Crushed - well, they're all nice, really. I do hope you can take the pace of these coming weekends! And I hope your fears for the Chimney Sweep won't be realised. I can imagine you standing at the bar relishing that ciggy! Will take a look at the new blogs - to me, I mean- you mention. Buon weekend.

Anonymous said...

Good to hear that I'm not the only person who feels totally pissed off with this no smoking in pubs crap.

Life in South Wales is now very interesting. The beer garden is full of people drinking and smoking and the pub is virtually empty.

I suppose ther're happy enough huddled together in the corner of an otherwise deserted pub with their tonic water $ lime and their bag of peanuts.

Meanwhile the real party is out back (and it doesn't stop with tobacco apparently).

Bring it on....

M.

Anonymous said...

I am only going to comment on smoking. Basically, yer UK Pubs is finished... they are all restaurants and such now. There can be no pub without smoking. Steph,have a nice evening on yer own indoors.

Is Pommygranate a lady? Blimey I have missed a trick... licks eyebrows and plumps up...

Anonymous said...

Welshcakes- It'll be interesting tomorrow to how people interact at his party.
She will invite all her attractive friends along with the hope od diverting my attention.

Merlin- This is true. I had to go out to have a fag the other day, just to find a barmaid to pour me a pint!

Mutley- I see what you are saying, but ultimately, people go out because they;
a. Want to get out of the house.
b. Want to meet their friends, but maybe meet new people too.

A place that satisfies these requirement AND serves alcohol is bound to be a winner.
So pubs will survive, I think.

Anonymous said...

Ed

She used to be a prolific commenter at Samizdata until one of the writers (Jonathan i think) insulted her. She swore she would never return. That was a year ago. She hasn't.