What's made your day today?

[Thenop]

Maybe we need a thread for ageing and ailments?

We have an entire message board for that 

[Matt2112]

From last night, really: I (along with seemingly quite a few others) have been pestering petitioning Irish folk-rock legends The Saw Doctors for quite a while via their social media channels to play at the Piece Hall, its size and surroundings being absolutely tailor-made for the band.

So, last night at their gig at Leeds Academy, just before their last song, guitar-vocalist Leo Moran announced that next summer they're playing the very venue I've been dearly wanting them to play, which had me literally roaring with delight as if my football team had scored a last minute winner in a cup final.

That didn't so much make my day as make my year - and next year, come to that.

[R6GYY]

Bagging a free copy of Konami's Castlevania Anniversary Collection from the Epic Store. They do different free games every week and whilst I already have the Castlevania Advance collection on Xbox, this was a treat that I had intended to get at some point, but here it is for free.

Grab it while you can if you want it.

[The Picnic Wasp]

An old friend who moved away a while back finally replied to a Facebook message I sent four years ago. He'd missed it entirely. He was a keen photographer and back in 1979 he managed to take the most incredible photos of Queen at the Glasgow Apollo. I was with him both nights and was extremely worried for his safety when he sneaked down to the front at one point to get some fantastic close ups. The Apollo bouncers had a fearsome reputation and were well known for beating folk up and smashing their cameras. However, he got away with it and later that night printed off some pictures of the concert in his garden shed. He gave me several copies which I have always treasured.

Many years later whilst working as a cop at the SECC, he left some photos for Sir Brian. Brian later got in touch with him apologising for the fact that he mistakenly thought they were just for signing and selling on eBay and not realising they were a gift without any catch. He promised to do something with them and later they were published in a book about the Crazy tour by Gary Taylor. My friend is also a real aircraft geek and sent me some lovely shots of various civil and military aircraft. Some of the A380, Glasgow Airport pictures are really fantastic.

[The Picnic Wasp]

On another day I might have put this in the grumpy thread but that wouldn't be accurate. I noticed the date and the fact that it falls on a Saturday this year. I've always remembered that an important first date I had with a special old flame was on Saturday, 23rd November. I remember she didn't like the look of the first two restaurants we went to. She didn't like the lighting. I quietly thought to myself that this was never going to work as I became embarrassed making our excuses for a second time. The third restaurant was ok though and things did work out for quite a long time, until some stupid unnecessary stuff got in the way. It was 31 years ago but an unforgettable time in my life.

[Slim]

On another day I might have put this in the grumpy thread but that wouldn't be accurate. I noticed the date and the fact that it falls on a Saturday this year. I've always remembered that an important first date I had with a special old flame was on Saturday, 23rd November.

I have a few similar unforgettable dates, one of them also a 23rd.

In October 1992 I'd been seeing a young woman called Angela for about 18 months. By this time it was obvious she wasn't right for me. I was just keeping her hanging on because I didn't want to be single, quite honestly. And because finishing with people is awkward and difficult. Only inertia (mine) was keeping us together.

But earlier in the month, another young woman, called Julie, who worked in the company library had been subtly dropping hints that she was interested in me. I wasn't quite sure what to make of them until one Friday afternoon, the 23rd of October, my section leader took me to one side. "Jim, I've just been talking to Julie in the library", he said. "She wanted to know why you haven't asked her out yet".

Well, this was it. I had to act on it now. She was vivacious, sexy, cute with it. Tall, athletic, very fit. So although we'd never to that point exchanged more than a "hello" or a "how are you", I chose a quiet moment, picked up the phone on my desk and phoned her in the library to ask if she'd be interested in meeting up over the weekend.

We agreed that I'd pick her up at her place on the Saturday and spend the day in Nottingham.

This left me with an awkward problem, of course. I already had a girlfriend. So a few minutes later, I called Angela at her place of work - she worked for the NHS in Derby in accounts - and asked her if I could come and give her a lift home from there after work. I said that we needed to talk. I tried to impart a sense that our relationship was about to conclude, so it would come as less of a shock.

She pleaded and begged and cried her eyes out in the passenger seat all the way home. It was hellish. I wished I'd had the honesty to split up with her months earlier. I didn't tell her about Julie of course. But she found out about that anyway after her best mate spotted Julie and me in a car park in Derby the next day.

My relationship with Julie was sheer joy, unalloyed bliss. For about three weeks, then it became complicated and eventually, turned into a living nightmare in which I was one corner of a bizarre love triangle. I hated myself for tolerating it. But in the space of a few weeks. she'd become an addiction. I've always thought of it as a sort of karma thing.

[The Picnic Wasp]

More accurately last night. After a week of grim temperatures, windy conditions, alternating driving rain and generally typical premature Scottish winter weather, double glazing salesmen, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (fortunately brief) and annoying car stuff, I decided to break my lager abstinence of the past few weeks. Sister is staying over just now so kindly drove me to the local convenience store. Bought beer (the clean golden variety which doesn't form mycelium and fruiting bodies in your gut) a bottle of Merlot for sis, a packet of cheddars and a couple of dog treats. It all came to £21.12 😀

Yesterday my sister gave me a litre bottle of Baileys to put away for Christmas. She always does this and always replaces it later after it's been plundered too early. I opened it tonight as I heard this afternoon that a former work colleague dropped dead today. A couple of years older than me and a decent guy with a lovely family. We called him Scunner at work as his second name was Campbell. Probably only Fishy might understand the nickname. I respected him because he did a job well below his ability for reasons he decided, but he did that job really well which reminds me of the NP lyric "pride of purpose, in the unrewarding job". So a hero I suppose, if any of us really are. RIP Ian.

I suppose this is more a what made UP your day type post, so another Baileys in his honour, some Porcupine Tree live and bed.

[Nickslikk2112]

We called him Scunner at work as his second name was Campbell. Probably only Fishy might understand the nickname.

For reasons like Ali "UB40" Campbell being turned away from a Hotel?
https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/ub40-ali-campbell-turned-away-hotel-name-kew-the-music-london-gig-b1196937.html

I respected him because he did a job well below his ability for reasons he decided

You'd respect me then

[Slim]

Had a nice day out in Bakewell with 'er indoors yesterday. Walked round the shops, bought a few Christmas pressies, went in a pleasant hotel called The Rutland Hotel for lunch, had a couple of drinks. Went in a caff for a Bakewell tart and some coffee. Had a walk by the river. Sunny day, a bit cold.

Google Maps sent us home along some country lanes with nice views before we arrived at the M1.

[The Picnic Wasp]

We called him Scunner at work as his second name was Campbell. Probably only Fishy might understand the nickname.

For reasons like Ali "UB40" Campbell being turned away from a Hotel?
https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/ub40-ali-campbell-turned-away-hotel-name-kew-the-music-london-gig-b1196937.html

I respected him because he did a job well below his ability for reasons he decided

You'd respect me then

The Scunner Campbell was the baddie in Super Gran. He was played by the actor Iain Cuthbertson.
I too was in an unrewarding job for nearly my entire working life. Circumstances dictated. Good song though.😀

[Fishy]

We called him Scunner at work as his second name was Campbell. Probably only Fishy might understand the nickname.

For reasons like Ali "UB40" Campbell being turned away from a Hotel?
https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/ub40-ali-campbell-turned-away-hotel-name-kew-the-music-london-gig-b1196937.html

I respected him because he did a job well below his ability for reasons he decided

You'd respect me then

The Scunner Campbell was the baddie in Super Gran. He was played by the actor Iain Cuthbertson.
I too was in an unrewarding job for nearly my entire working life. Circumstances dictated. Good song though.😀

Scunner Campbell..😀

[Nickslikk2112]

The Scunner Campbell was the baddie in Super Gran. He was played by the actor Iain Cuthbertson.

There's me thinking it'd be based on internecine Scottish enmity. Thankfully Super Gran passed me by.

[Fishy]

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx247dwx1p7o

[Slim]

The BBC's culture editor, Katie Razall, used the term "piece of piss" just now on 5 Live. Made me smile.

[Matt2112]

The BBC's culture editor, Katie Razall, used the term "piece of piss" just now on 5 Live. Made me smile.

I find her quite irritating on Radio 4 - she can't help herself interjecting with cringeworthy attempts at bon mots when speaking to guests much, much brainier than she is.