40 Big Ones for Mad and Bern

My mum, Madeline and my dad, Bernard were married 40 years ago today. Heres to them. This is a photo from when they were courtin' at 'the hop'. The hop?!

-C

Dam fine?

Friends, Romans and country men, I am still alive. I have been chided gently for letting my public down by not posting enough. So here is my update: yes, to my continued surprise (indeed, astonishment), I am still making progress with the Mickel Therapy. Hoo-flippin-rah. I won't go into specifics as it is still too early in the grand scheme of things - it's been 3 months since I started Mickel. I'm hoping to compound progress and build it over time, if possible. Most importantly, I've (so far) avoided the previous huge relapses that would blight me for weeks/months at a time.

It's not as straight forward as just 'feeling better' - it's like trying to do a vast jigsaw with lots of trial and error - seeing which symptoms lessen (or increase) with which activities; and trying to find the best 'fit' or response. Right, I said I wasn't going to start explaining or defending it and the explaining-and-defending alarm has just gone off, so...moving swiftly on...

I have booked a weekend break to Amsterdam in April for myself and Nice Man to sit on a canal boat, say hello to Camera Obscura (who are doing a gig there) and stay in this vision-of-pinkness flat.

-C

What Poker Face?

Nice Man is producing a forthcoming album by new Glasgow band, The Attic Lights. The photo above is a wee shrine of kitsch-ery that a Japanese fan sent them. Aww. I am not so blinded by love for Nice Man, that I like all his musical endeavours. Indeed, he is fully aware of this fact because I have a rubbish 'poker face' and can't fake enthusiasm. But - hoorah - my face tells the truth when I say I am a fan of the Attic Lights. Equally important, they are thoughtful, kind lads who offered me a lone chair and plenty of carrot cake at their recent video shoot. For this I wish them platinum album sales.

Nice Man and I went to Edinburgh this weekend to visit his friends and family. I was more ME-ish than I predicted. On paper, I know I can be myself and lie on the couch or take short breaks as much as I feel I need to. On paper. In reality I am not very good at this and I Try Too Hard. If we have muscles for politeness, mine are gently aching after exertion. Like I said before - I have to learn to be a NANE and give up the hovering urge to explain myself, if I don't feel up to it.

My brother announced that he is getting married in June. Great news and our first family wedding, down in the scenic borders of Scotland. They kept it a secret since last year. If it was me, it would have slipped out somewhere. I'd be asking about the weather forecast and I'd say, wedding forecast by accident and then start to giggle and shake my head apologetically.

-C

Thanking ye and TV

As you know, this blog is in an unofficial slumber but every so often I am cheered by an 'I-like-your-blog' email or comment from a reader and it makes me want to write in thanks.

The hardest part of the Mickel therapy is the up and down nature of it. Any progress (for me, anyway) is not linear and it's easy to point out the times when I feel it isn't working and then speculate that the ever-surprising pockets of improvement may not last. I do this. I am trying not to do this. So, it's been a more classic slow and frustrating ME day today and I am just trying to accept that for what it is and not read pessimism into that fact.

I started watching season 5 (or 6?) of The Sopranos last night. Tony Soprano was so rotund I though he'd keel over from a heart attack at any moment. A bullet got there first, but of course he can hardly die in episode one, can he? I watch less TV than ever before, but maybe that's a good thing. I only like watching programmes if I can discuss them later with friends and now that we've all got at least 47 channels, you don't get that warm community-viewing feeling. Still, I like being loyal to channel 4 and BBC 1 and 2; the old reliables.

-C

Baby Tigers and Orangutangs, you say?

Oh, alright then, if you insist. Click here.

-C