So that time of year again. As those that know me know I'm not a huge fan of New Year's Eve. So many people seem to wax on about a fresh start and then wake up on the first day of the year with their head wedged in the u-bend, their phone in the fridge and their clothes in a shredder.
Anyway, happy New Wednesday for tomorrow. If you really feel that something's so wrong in your life that you need a fresh start then just do it. You don't need a specific date. Saying that I've just got engaged to the Lovely Tracey and am moving to Chesterfield in the New Year but that's just a coincidence!
(Quick footnote in the middle of the blog. Obviously as I've mentioned before a footnote should be at the foot of the blog. Looking at the size of this blog it's probably more of a chestnote. If it was summer it'd be a roasting chestnote. I'm gonna shut up and get back to the point. Had the best meal of my life at The Van Dyk Hotel in Chesterfield on Saturday night, finally knocking the Paris restaurant from 1991 off the top spot, and in between the beef bourguinon and stilton Tracey accepted my stuttering proposal. Insanely happy are the words I'm looking for here).
Back to the blog.
Auld Lang Syne!? Really. Let's look at that. I made need google translate for this.
'Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind.'
So, in effect, let's celebrate someone I've forgot all about and not only forgot all about but no-one else remembers them either otherwise they'd have reminded me. Raise a glass to absent friends but not someone you have no idea about!
And one more little rant. Saw a thing on facebook saying it's not only a new year but a new moon tonight. Double celebration!! Get bent. But apparently this is a very rare event. Not happened for 19 years!! Given the planet is 4.5 billion years old 19 years is bloody frequent!
Rant over.
Treated myself to some new boots yesterday. I'm not happy with that sentence. First off as a Yorkshireman it just dunt scan rate. Tret misen to some new booits yesterday. That's a bit better. But it wasn't really a treat. I needed new boots. I'm a bloke. I have 3 forms of footwear. Shoes for best, trainers and boots. The boots had developed a hole hence the need for new boots. Did the usual shopping tactics. Found boot shop, found boots, bought boots, went home. Sadly on getting home I found there were two left boots in the box. Maybe the shop assistant had seen me play football at some point and thought I had two left feet. Back to shop, located right boot and home.
Anyway, enough for this year. Go careful tonight. Next blog will probably be from under a crooked spire.
Laters
SS
.
Tuesday 31 December 2013
Sunday 22 December 2013
Bar Handbag.
Dea-tráthnóna!
Good to have the Irish on board.
Train travel again. A train should never do an emergency stop but the one I was on last week did. I like my trains to slow gently to a halt before leaving me stranded. This one just slammed the brakes on though. And then we got the announcement that we'd stopped due to a fault on the unit. Unit? Really?
So that was that then. Stuck in the middle of nowhere til they worked out what to do with us. Or so I thought. But no. Almost immediately the train set off, and I might add at some pace. This was even more worrying. A faulty unit careering through the wilds of South Yorkshire with apparently not a care in the world. I was anticipating being derailed at any point and landing next to half a fox. The fact that arriving in Donny necessitated another emergency stop made my relief to get off even greater. I gave a passing thought to the poor souls left on the train heading to Scunny but then again they were off to Scunny. They deserve all they get.
Quick think. Do I know anyone in Scunny? Bugger. Yes. Sorry Fiona.
So it's that time of year again. I've mentioned before that everyone should have to work a bar for two weeks of their life. Bar staff would get so much more respect that way. I've re-evaluated that. Everyone should work a bar over Christmas and New Year.
Quick quiz. A bar is long enough for 5 people to stand at. The queue is about 5 deep at the bar. You're at the back of the queue. Basic maths says there's 25 people waiting before you. Do you:
A: Wait patiently and hope you get served in turn. (Good bar staff will always try to serve in turn but it's not always that easy).
or
B: Make your way to the serving hatch at the side of the bar, lean through and kick the barman who's already serving someone and yell 'I'm next.'?
Yes that happened to me on 'Mad Friday'. People forget the power bar staff wield. I, politely, told the 'kicker' he'd get served when it was his turn. twenty minutes later I deemed it to be his turn and, still politely, told him that kicking me was unacceptable and that he wouldn't be getting served in this pub now or for that matter ever again. Actually I wasn't that polite. I'm not gonna lie to you, I hope I ruined his day.
And can we stop calling it Mad Friday. It just encourages people.
So with all that in mind I've had 25 years, give or take, of that kind of behaviour so I don't think I'm gonna miss the pub game too much when I leave. On that note my leaving do is at The Leopard on Jan 5th. Feel free to come say hi/bye.
I made the mistake of attempting to Christmas shop yesterday. Last Saturday before Christmas. What an idiot. The lovely Tracey mentioned needing a handbag. I'm a bloke. What do I know about handbags? So I got her something useless, impractical and pointless instead. Obviously I can't divulge what just yet. This morning saw me wrapping presents. I'm hopeless at it. It basically looks like I've thrown wrapping paper and sellotape at a box and miraculously some of it stuck. I should say that anyone who gets a gift from me also gets some of my hair in there too. I'm generous like that.
Anyway, probably my last web log before Christmas so have a good one, stay safe and be nice to those poor sods who have to work all over Christmas!
Laters
SS
Good to have the Irish on board.
Train travel again. A train should never do an emergency stop but the one I was on last week did. I like my trains to slow gently to a halt before leaving me stranded. This one just slammed the brakes on though. And then we got the announcement that we'd stopped due to a fault on the unit. Unit? Really?
So that was that then. Stuck in the middle of nowhere til they worked out what to do with us. Or so I thought. But no. Almost immediately the train set off, and I might add at some pace. This was even more worrying. A faulty unit careering through the wilds of South Yorkshire with apparently not a care in the world. I was anticipating being derailed at any point and landing next to half a fox. The fact that arriving in Donny necessitated another emergency stop made my relief to get off even greater. I gave a passing thought to the poor souls left on the train heading to Scunny but then again they were off to Scunny. They deserve all they get.
Quick think. Do I know anyone in Scunny? Bugger. Yes. Sorry Fiona.
So it's that time of year again. I've mentioned before that everyone should have to work a bar for two weeks of their life. Bar staff would get so much more respect that way. I've re-evaluated that. Everyone should work a bar over Christmas and New Year.
Quick quiz. A bar is long enough for 5 people to stand at. The queue is about 5 deep at the bar. You're at the back of the queue. Basic maths says there's 25 people waiting before you. Do you:
A: Wait patiently and hope you get served in turn. (Good bar staff will always try to serve in turn but it's not always that easy).
or
B: Make your way to the serving hatch at the side of the bar, lean through and kick the barman who's already serving someone and yell 'I'm next.'?
Yes that happened to me on 'Mad Friday'. People forget the power bar staff wield. I, politely, told the 'kicker' he'd get served when it was his turn. twenty minutes later I deemed it to be his turn and, still politely, told him that kicking me was unacceptable and that he wouldn't be getting served in this pub now or for that matter ever again. Actually I wasn't that polite. I'm not gonna lie to you, I hope I ruined his day.
And can we stop calling it Mad Friday. It just encourages people.
So with all that in mind I've had 25 years, give or take, of that kind of behaviour so I don't think I'm gonna miss the pub game too much when I leave. On that note my leaving do is at The Leopard on Jan 5th. Feel free to come say hi/bye.
I made the mistake of attempting to Christmas shop yesterday. Last Saturday before Christmas. What an idiot. The lovely Tracey mentioned needing a handbag. I'm a bloke. What do I know about handbags? So I got her something useless, impractical and pointless instead. Obviously I can't divulge what just yet. This morning saw me wrapping presents. I'm hopeless at it. It basically looks like I've thrown wrapping paper and sellotape at a box and miraculously some of it stuck. I should say that anyone who gets a gift from me also gets some of my hair in there too. I'm generous like that.
Anyway, probably my last web log before Christmas so have a good one, stay safe and be nice to those poor sods who have to work all over Christmas!
Laters
SS
Thursday 12 December 2013
This Is An Ex-Sausage. Thursday 12/12/2013
Short blog, my mind's elsewhere, but I thought a blog was necessary.
I'd like to think over the last year or so we've got close so feel free to share personal moments in my life with you.
This morning I had, what I believe is known as, a minor operation. Without going into too much detail I've had a couple of tubes snipped. It wasn't too bad. I was, so to speak, comfortably numb.
What was more alarming was the build up. The diagrams they show you of the 'procedure' do resemble stills from a low budget gore film and whoever modelled for the diagrams is a very developed chap. Hope the surgeon doesn't expect us all to look like that otherwise this morning he'd have been very disappointed.
And of course every bugger just happens to know 'someone' with a horror story about the snip. I was praying they all knew the same person.
The only painful bit is the two needles, er, either side. The snipping itself just feels like lots of tugging. That possibly makes it sound better than it actually is. Also a bit odd is the nurse's hairdresser spiel. Although she didn't end with the 'Something for the weekend?' line.
It is a bit like a visit to the dentist. The anticipation is far worse than the event itself and you come out all smiley thinking that was easy.
And then the anaesthetic wears off.
As Weller once sang, 'Lights going out and a kick in the balls.'
Laters
SS
I'd like to think over the last year or so we've got close so feel free to share personal moments in my life with you.
This morning I had, what I believe is known as, a minor operation. Without going into too much detail I've had a couple of tubes snipped. It wasn't too bad. I was, so to speak, comfortably numb.
What was more alarming was the build up. The diagrams they show you of the 'procedure' do resemble stills from a low budget gore film and whoever modelled for the diagrams is a very developed chap. Hope the surgeon doesn't expect us all to look like that otherwise this morning he'd have been very disappointed.
And of course every bugger just happens to know 'someone' with a horror story about the snip. I was praying they all knew the same person.
The only painful bit is the two needles, er, either side. The snipping itself just feels like lots of tugging. That possibly makes it sound better than it actually is. Also a bit odd is the nurse's hairdresser spiel. Although she didn't end with the 'Something for the weekend?' line.
It is a bit like a visit to the dentist. The anticipation is far worse than the event itself and you come out all smiley thinking that was easy.
And then the anaesthetic wears off.
As Weller once sang, 'Lights going out and a kick in the balls.'
Laters
SS
Saturday 7 December 2013
I Have No Idea Of A Title Now! Saturday 07/12/13
For Neil Cope after a conversation in The Woolpack toilet about lack of blog.
I've just seen an old english sheepdog crossing the road with what can only be described as saddle bags. All his owner had in his hand was the dog's lead. I thought this worthy of a mention so figured I may as well blog.
Do I miss doing the show? Well of course. The Cocteau Twins' Pearly-dewdrops' Drops has just come on random play on The Leopard jukebox and I immediately reached for pen and paper thinking I must play that on Monday's show then realised I don't have a show. D'oh! Still I'm enjoying the lie-ins in a warm Chesterfield bed more than I'm missing the show. Wish I'd done that Springsteen special before I left though.
I've spent a lot of time on trains recently. Yesterday was particularly spectacular. Due to the adverse weather conditions it took an hour and ten minutes to get from Meadowhell to Doncaster. This included 40 minutes parked, there's no other word for it, in Hexthorpe next to half a fox. That made pleasant viewing.
Obviously time on trains means time at stations. Advertisements at stations are like none I see anywhere else. Adverts for books I get. Something to while away the journey instead of looking for the other half of a fox. Although once you're on the platform waiting for your train it's a bit late to go book shopping. At Chesterfield station there's a lot of adverts for The Samaritans. Is advert the right word there? Not sure what that says about Chesterfield. Personally I hate leaving the place so it kinda makes sense.
At Sheffield station God's put quite a few billboards up. If God needs to advertise then he really is in trouble. And I'd worry for someone who sees a poster saying 'invite God into your heart' and thinks, 'Oh, OK then.'
So Samaritans and God. What does that say about train travel in this country? I'll be honest it's my 2nd favourite mode of transport after flying but you cant fly from Donny to Chesterfield.
OK, I'm off to email someone about how wanting 213 slices of a particular ham is excessive for a band rider.
Laters
SS
Playlist
:-(
I've just seen an old english sheepdog crossing the road with what can only be described as saddle bags. All his owner had in his hand was the dog's lead. I thought this worthy of a mention so figured I may as well blog.
Do I miss doing the show? Well of course. The Cocteau Twins' Pearly-dewdrops' Drops has just come on random play on The Leopard jukebox and I immediately reached for pen and paper thinking I must play that on Monday's show then realised I don't have a show. D'oh! Still I'm enjoying the lie-ins in a warm Chesterfield bed more than I'm missing the show. Wish I'd done that Springsteen special before I left though.
I've spent a lot of time on trains recently. Yesterday was particularly spectacular. Due to the adverse weather conditions it took an hour and ten minutes to get from Meadowhell to Doncaster. This included 40 minutes parked, there's no other word for it, in Hexthorpe next to half a fox. That made pleasant viewing.
Obviously time on trains means time at stations. Advertisements at stations are like none I see anywhere else. Adverts for books I get. Something to while away the journey instead of looking for the other half of a fox. Although once you're on the platform waiting for your train it's a bit late to go book shopping. At Chesterfield station there's a lot of adverts for The Samaritans. Is advert the right word there? Not sure what that says about Chesterfield. Personally I hate leaving the place so it kinda makes sense.
At Sheffield station God's put quite a few billboards up. If God needs to advertise then he really is in trouble. And I'd worry for someone who sees a poster saying 'invite God into your heart' and thinks, 'Oh, OK then.'
So Samaritans and God. What does that say about train travel in this country? I'll be honest it's my 2nd favourite mode of transport after flying but you cant fly from Donny to Chesterfield.
OK, I'm off to email someone about how wanting 213 slices of a particular ham is excessive for a band rider.
Laters
SS
Playlist
:-(
Tuesday 3 December 2013
BAIBS Friday 29/11/13 - The Final Show
Günaydın!
Turkish. Bit late on parade if they're here for the playlist, still welcome aboard.
Speaking of late it's now 4 days since the final show yet I'm only just blogging about it. The reasons are tenfold. (Ten may be an exaggeration). To start with Friday morning was way more emotional than I'd imagined, and trust me I'd expected it to be heart wrenching, so my mind really wasn't in blogging mode post show. I was all press passed up for The Enemy/Reverend gig at Dome on Friday night but gave it a miss purely cos my head was in a very distant place. Also I was working all weekend so not a huge amount of time to get this blog right. I still probably wont. And finally the whole Sine career ended on a bit of a sour note due to a text I received after the show and I've been deliberating whether to mention it here or not.
I've decided this will be the only mention of it suffice to say it's the main reason this blog has took so long to write and that the sender of the text probably doesn't realise just how much it hurt.
That's only threefold really but it's enough folds to merit the delay.
Anyway, I've thanked and thanked people on Facebook over the last few days so wont get too gushing again. But to everyone who came down and performed on the show (Tobin James, David Bailey, James Taplin, Bo - who wrote a song especially - Alistair Pearson, The Missing Pages, The 48ks) to Ross Cameron from Bang Bang Romeo for giving me the world exclusive play on their track Carnival before it goes global, to fellow presenters Mark Kelly and Jonathan Jones for your kind words, to my gorgeous girlfriend Tracey for being at my side throughout, to everyone who sent such wonderful messages and to all who have listened at any point over the last 4 and a bit years I simply cant thank you enough.
I'll miss everything about the show, apart from the 5:30am alarm clock, hence me getting out now! A final thanks to regular requesters The Cushty Librarian, The Milky Bar Kid, Renowned Author Mr. P, The Insignia Boys and Netti Spaghetti.
And to Sine FM thank you for the opportunity. Thanks To Sine FM I got to interview The Wedding Present and The Vaccines and give Dave Gedge a cold and compare hair length with Justin Vaccine. I got to get drunk with 8 different nationalities in Strasbourg and be hungover in The European Parliament.I got to wander round a small town in Luxembourg and be excluded from choir practice. Sadly I missed out on the Bradford trip!
So what now. Well the blog will continue due to popular demand (Cheers Andy) though it may be less frequent. Possibly a name change too, sausage being breakfast related and all that. Watch out for The Freelance Peanut, an old nickname and I really cant be bothered to explain right now.
Right, I'm off to nurse my wounded knee. Fell over on a very polished floor in the toilets at Donny station yesterday. Disappointingly not one person in there said 'While you're down there.' And I've lost a hosepipe. The two events aren't related.
Laters
SS
Playlist Friday 29/11/13
The Mighty Ship - The Housemartins
Turkish. Bit late on parade if they're here for the playlist, still welcome aboard.
Speaking of late it's now 4 days since the final show yet I'm only just blogging about it. The reasons are tenfold. (Ten may be an exaggeration). To start with Friday morning was way more emotional than I'd imagined, and trust me I'd expected it to be heart wrenching, so my mind really wasn't in blogging mode post show. I was all press passed up for The Enemy/Reverend gig at Dome on Friday night but gave it a miss purely cos my head was in a very distant place. Also I was working all weekend so not a huge amount of time to get this blog right. I still probably wont. And finally the whole Sine career ended on a bit of a sour note due to a text I received after the show and I've been deliberating whether to mention it here or not.
I've decided this will be the only mention of it suffice to say it's the main reason this blog has took so long to write and that the sender of the text probably doesn't realise just how much it hurt.
That's only threefold really but it's enough folds to merit the delay.
Anyway, I've thanked and thanked people on Facebook over the last few days so wont get too gushing again. But to everyone who came down and performed on the show (Tobin James, David Bailey, James Taplin, Bo - who wrote a song especially - Alistair Pearson, The Missing Pages, The 48ks) to Ross Cameron from Bang Bang Romeo for giving me the world exclusive play on their track Carnival before it goes global, to fellow presenters Mark Kelly and Jonathan Jones for your kind words, to my gorgeous girlfriend Tracey for being at my side throughout, to everyone who sent such wonderful messages and to all who have listened at any point over the last 4 and a bit years I simply cant thank you enough.
I'll miss everything about the show, apart from the 5:30am alarm clock, hence me getting out now! A final thanks to regular requesters The Cushty Librarian, The Milky Bar Kid, Renowned Author Mr. P, The Insignia Boys and Netti Spaghetti.
And to Sine FM thank you for the opportunity. Thanks To Sine FM I got to interview The Wedding Present and The Vaccines and give Dave Gedge a cold and compare hair length with Justin Vaccine. I got to get drunk with 8 different nationalities in Strasbourg and be hungover in The European Parliament.I got to wander round a small town in Luxembourg and be excluded from choir practice. Sadly I missed out on the Bradford trip!
So what now. Well the blog will continue due to popular demand (Cheers Andy) though it may be less frequent. Possibly a name change too, sausage being breakfast related and all that. Watch out for The Freelance Peanut, an old nickname and I really cant be bothered to explain right now.
Right, I'm off to nurse my wounded knee. Fell over on a very polished floor in the toilets at Donny station yesterday. Disappointingly not one person in there said 'While you're down there.' And I've lost a hosepipe. The two events aren't related.
Laters
SS
Playlist Friday 29/11/13
The Mighty Ship - The Housemartins
Dignity - Deacon Blue
Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen
Recover - Dexters
Here Comes Your Man - Pixies
The Whole Of The Moon - The Waterboys
All Together Now - The Farm
Cherry Bomb - John Mellencamp
Aubrey - Stone Ugly
Wetsuit - The Vaccines
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side - The Smiths
Adore Me Dear - Bang Bang Romeo
I'm Your's (Live) - The Simon Saynor House Band (David Bailey, James Taplin, Tobin James)
Piano Man (Live) - The Simon Saynor House Band
Temptation - New Order
Can Stand The Rain - The Talks
When It All Comes Down - The Icicle Works
Fortune Teller (Live) - The 48ks
Lazy Boy (Live) - The 48ks
Happy Christmas Day - The 48ks
Like A Dancer - The Enemy
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles
End Of The Line - The Traveling Wilbury's
My Sweet Lord - George Harrison
Don't Go - Kiziah And The Kings
Cure (Live) - The Missing Pages
Webs Of Memories (Live) - The Missing Pages
Fairytale Of New York - The Pogues
Gold - Spandau Ballet
Utopia (Live) - Alistair Pearson
The Binary Song (Live) - Alistair Pearson & James Taplin
Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen
Kennedy - The Wedding Present
Church Not Made With Hands - The Waterboys
Neverland (live) - David 'Bo' Ramsay
Whisper (Live) - David 'Bo' Ramsay
Jungleland - Bruce Springsteen
Carnival - Bang Bang Romeo
Millionaires - Famous Villains
Ballad Of A Blue Poet - John Lennon McCullagh
This Is The Sea - The Waterboys
So Long And Thanks For All The Fish - Neil Hannon
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