Real Blue Sky?

This weekend, I have subjected myself to the emotional rollercoaster that is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. For those of you who have never seen this wonderful piece of TV (either because you don’t have access to ABC, UKTV Style or you feel it’s too low-brow for you), let me give you the 411: A family – usually one which has a heartbreaking story (adoption, separation, fire, illness etc), makes a plea to EM to come fix their house which they have have neglected because of lack of funds or because what money they have they’ve ploughed it into a project. ABC’s design team – led by the rather vacuous and slightly irritating Ty Pennington - then roll up, send the family on vacation, bulldoze the house and, in seven days, build a new home complete with interior decor, themed bedrooms and bathrooms that we in England simply have never experienced.

This may sound like one of the most suguary TV shows of all time and, in truth it probably is – it is, after all, an hour of “woe is me/ABC please help/Thank God you’re hear/Woo! Look at our sparkly new house. It’s also worth mentioning that the families chosen are done so because they make great television, not, necessarily, because of their application. Yet it would be a cold-hearted soul who would deny those taking part a slice of happiness. From the 26-year-old survivor of breast cancer to the family who sold everything to run a camp for children with disabilities, each one made a lasting impact on their communities and were rightly rewarded and given the chance to start again or use their new property to continue serving others.

It was so heartening to see local builders, suppliers and volunteers step up to help out. Of course, the cynic in me wondered why it had taken a national TV channel to put cameras up for them to offer assistance, but at least the people who needed help got what they needed. I also wondered how some of the families would cope. I mean, if a family was struggling financially living in a crumbling 900sq ft house, then how on earth would they be able to pay for the running of a house four times the size?!

But whatever the local community’s reasons for getting involved were, it proved to me what remarkable achievements can be made when others come together. Poverty was removed, love was exchanged and hope was restored to people who were on the verge of giving up.

Such a flooding of emotion caused me to evaluate whether an extreme makeover is needed in my life. Do I, I wondered, need to take an excavator to my foundations and construct something which is stronger and more durable? To be honest, I didn’t really conclude anything positive in that regard, so will be dwelling on that some more before making an honest assessment. But what it did teach me is that, we don’t have to go through life living in a run-down old shack – literally nor emotionally. It is possible to be the person of our dreams. All we have to do is be prepared to put in the hours.

Blasts from the Past

So today, as I was coming down the stairs of a well-known department store, I bumped into a woman whom I’ve not seen since the salad days of school. To say I was shocked is a bit of an understatement. For it wasn’t just seeing a friend from school, it was all the emotions that came with it.

This girl was the first girl I ever properly kissed. We went to infant, junior and secondary schools together and I remember getting caught by Mrs Poulton because we both made excuses to leave the classroom and then got caught in the cloakroom making out. We were NINE! I can’t remember if we dated for any considerable length of time (relationships move fast in junior school), but the sight of seeing her again brought back so many memories, not least the one I’ve just described. We both have taken very different journeys since those heady days. She is now finishing her training in the medical profession and I, well, we all know I spend my days trying to look busy in an office that works with sailors – ahoy there! And from my point of view, those whom I enjoy a decent snog with have changed considerably, too!

 

The conversation has finally come to an end

I was sent an email today by a dear American friend, wanting to know “when the vitriol about Barack would begin on my blog.” COME ON PEOPLE! I’m not CNN. Or Fox for that matter. I’m just an innocent bystander who happens to be a bit of a politico-junkie. I’m not going to say much on the presumptive nominee other than good luck. He’s going to need it. Hillary Clinton on the other hand gave a very impressive final performance yesterday in Washington. Her speech writer would have been in tears writing that – so full of emotion, peppered with discreet “two fingers” to the Obama campaign and to the Democratic Leadership, some of whom urged her to get out sooner rather than now. The woman is a legend and should be treated as such.

Some people wonder why I’m such a big Clinton fan. Well, when they were in the White House, the Clintons made a state visit to the UK and my school was one of the lucky venues they got to visit. It was such an incredibly experience. My current job ocassionally sees me in the same room with various members of the Royal Family, however, being in the same area as a Presidential Cavalcade is something to see and then a room with a president is something else altogether. The lights, the noise, the Secret Service and then, after a few boring announcements from the headmaster, a curtain parts and Mr President and the First Lady appear. It was almost religious. Such huge figures in the world and here they were chatting to schoolchildren about politics, travel, being the President of the US and much, much, more. It made a huge impression on me as a young man.

Hope for Hillary?

Today’s meeting of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in Washing could, says The New York Times, bring Hillary Clinton within 50 delegates of current frontrunner Barack Obama. As much as I’d love Hillary Clinton to win the nomination, it is looking increasingly unlikely that she will. The way Barack Obama has captivated the voters and, more importantly, the media seems to have made him the presumptive nominee for so long that Mrs Clinton’s campaign has pailed into insignificance. This is an incredibly sad state of affairs. If the media had given even coverage to both candidates then the race might not have ended up as close as it has. There are many pundits out there who will conclude that Mrs Clinton’s campaign has been overpowered by the size of Obama’s. Yet, for all the mass marketing, grassroots campaigning and advertising spending by the Obama campaign, Mrs Clinton has proved herself to be a fighter, constantly hanging on when some in her party would rather wish she didn’t.  And what about Sen. Obama. What has he achieved? Yes, he (and Mrs Clinton) have brought in thousands of new registered voters. But has Mr Obama been able to close the deal? Not once.

Let’s not forget, this race is not as divided as some would have us believe. There are only 200-odd pledged delegates between Obama and Clinton. In the popular vote, Sen. Clinton is winning – but only if you include the votes of Florida and Michigan.  If Obama is the nominee, then the process of Clinton leaving the race will need to be handled smoothly so as not to alienate her supporters and see them defecting to McCain – which some have threatened to do. However, the fate of Clinton is no longer in the hands of the voters, rather the DNC, and we shall have to wait and see what they decide.

Of course, if this AP story is correct then Christmas may have come early for Hillary Clinton. Yet another pastor has come out and publicly attacked Hillary from the pulpit and accused her tears before the New Hampshire Primary because “there’s a black man stealing my show”. Now I for one am fed up about hearing race, gender and mysogniy in these campaigns. But first we had the Revd Wright debacle and now this. What does this tell us about black and ethnic minorities in the US? Is there an underlying current waiting to explode? Back in February, Michelle Obama said that because Barack was doing well, it was the first time she’d felt ‘proud’ of her country. Now, the campaign can backtrack and say she mispoke all they liked, but there is a pattern emerging here and I think the campaign for President is going to be a bumpy, bumpy ride.

I’m not the first person who has compared the current Democratic nomination process to the West Wing. The real-life drama of Obama, Clinton and McCain has far outweighed the dramatic performances of Santos Vs. Vinnick. But I can’t help thinking that the Democrats who support Obama do so blinded by his excellent oratory. Of course, maybe those who are following this, including myself. And maybe America is ready for change. Maybe it’s engaging like the UK did with its 1997 moment. Although as one who woke up to the radio playing “Things Can Only Get Better” let me assure you, they most certainly did not!

 

Finding my Song

Yet again, the United Kingdom do appallingly at the Eurovision Song Contest. Despite knowing that we will lose, it’s still an event that millions of people in the UK tune into every year. This year, in case you’ve not seen the papers, was won by the Russians. So well done to them. The former USSR seems to be doing quite well lately, hosting the European football championships and now we’ll see them turning on the glitz, the glamour and the camp for Eurovision. Thinking about it, Eurovision and the exterior of the Kremlin do seem to go hand in hand.

One of the things I do enjoy about Eurovision is how much a particular song can tell one about the country for whom it is representing. The Russian entry (which got help from US music mogul Timbaland) shows us that they are still a country with a very real understanding of competition. The Germans decided to model their entry on Girls Aloud and the Bosnia & Herzegovina entry … well, they are evidently undergoing some kind of artistic renaissance. I’m not sure what the UK entry says about us – other than yet again, we picked a song which is fine for Radio 2, but not Eurovision. Having said that, who could forget Scooch in 2007 and look where that got us! Maybe Terry Wogan is right. Maybe it is all political – but what does it say when a country’s fortunes in Europe are guided (in part) by a song contest?!

But away from the dizzying heights of Eurovision, what do our own music collections tell us about ourselves?

Inspired by BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs I decided that I, too, would create a BRMB playlist to take away with me. I’m always creating play lists. I have what I feel is a very respectable 2,500 songs on my iPod, but I fear that soon there’ll be more playlists than songs! Music is intrinsic to my life that sometimes when I don’t have my iPod with me I get thrown off course by the white noise all around me. I have playlists for the car, for reading, for going to sleep, one for the shower, writing, travelling to work, sunbathing – even one for getting ready to go out. But as the digital age is all about customisation and ‘on demand’ then I guess I should relish the fact that the opportunity is there, but I do wonder, sometimes, at what cost – the natural symphony of wildlife, the sea, cars and everyday life, perhaps?

Anyway, so here are my songs. On the radio show, one is only allowed 8 songs. Well, frankly, that’s impossible. And anyways, there’s probably stats somewhere which show that, were you to crash whilst flying somewhere and land on a desert island, you’re more likely to have a small iPod or MP3 player with you than a CD player and CD.

1. The King of Wishful Thinking (Go West) – so that I could build in an 80s quick film sequence             

2. Love’s Been Good to Me (Johnny Cash) – one of the most heartbreaking performances from one of the world’s greatest musicians.                                                                                                               

3. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me (Diana Ross & The Supremes) – MoTown heaven!

4. Where Peaceful Waters Flow (Gladys Knight and The Pips) – see point 3.

5. If You Want Me To… (Ginny Owens) – A really simple Christian ballard about life

6. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer (brass band and choir) – Because sometimes, a brass band and a rousing chorus is all you need to get you through the day

7. Be Thou Near To Me (Selah and Amy Perry) – if I’m on a desert island, I’m going to need some kind of spiritual backing

8. Bless the Broken Road (Rascall Flatts) – a gorgeous song sung by an excellent band

9. I’ve Got to Sing My Song (Oleta Adams of "Get Here" fame) – a brilliant song which really captivates her life and has some useful principals which we could all learn from.

10. Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn) – perfect for sitting on the beach and singing along

11. Love At First Sight (Kylie Minogue) – No desert island existence would be complete without her!

12. How Will I Know (Whitney Houston) – see point 11.

13. Empty Chairs At Empty Tables (Michael Ball and the cast of Les Miserables) – I’m going to need a song to blow the cobwebs away and attract attention. This fits the bill nicely.

14. Old Blue Chair (Kenny Chesney) – has the brilliant line: "I’ve read a few books, wrote a few songs, looked at my life – where it’s going, where it’s gone."

15. What a Little Moonlight Can Do (Dianne Reeves) – jazzy nights in

16. He Does It Better (Marya Josie/Gilles Peterson) – jazzy remix

17. In the Waiting Line (Simple Things) – perfect lazy evenings

18. Madama Butterfly (Puccini) – such raw emotion

19. Saturday Sun (Nick Drake) – the perfect bedtime/early morning song

What’s yours?