Easing out of lockdown, Bury Arcade Club

As a family, we are easing out of Covid 19 Lockdown. Which personally, as I work from home and don’t drive, seems to have gone on since the end of March last year. There’s a draft of what’s happened in that time, which I’ll get round to finishing off soonish. But I thought I’d post this as a quick return to blogging.

We went to Bury yesterday afternoon, and it was a time of great excitement. Our first proper family out since we returned from our Lanzarote Holiday last March (one for another catch-up post). We’ve had small outs, a trip out to the local garden centre to pick up a spade, and the girls have been out shopping a couple of times, but with the opening of food places inside, this was a return to the classic Newport family out.

Food first, since it was lunchtime, so did family favourite Pizza Express. I was especially happy since I thought it  had closed down during the 1st lockdown. The pizza was grand and quick to come out (always important when small impatient bellies need filling) and one of the increased number of vegan/veggie options.

Then while the girls did shopping at the Rock, I and H went to the Arcade Club (arcadeclub.co.uk) – three floors of arcade classics, before they joined us later. Everyone agreed that level three with its collection of old machines was the best, although I was a big fan of the Japanese game where cats rode pigs in a mad race. 🙂

When we got home, the weather was gorgeous, so Callie dog got a second walk. 🙂

I’ve missed this over the last year or so, and I feel somewhat shallow for saying that, given some of the big huge things going on in the world at the moment.  I’m noticeably more bouncy and content today. I’ve tried to stay positive during the lockdown, but I’ve had moments of depression and rage. Each time we go out to the outside world (strangely, my local dog-walks don’t count, they are like green corridors ending in large living rooms where we play ball), it’s like I’m a child again, gleefully running about rediscovering stuff.

Next up is a weekend away either in a cottage, city-Premier Inn or perhaps even the return of camping WITH THE DOG!

Oh my poor hearties, the excitement! 😀

Recent Earworms

One for the bubbly psychedelic crowd SHPONGLE!!!

Metalcore done right, Propagandhi, who I picked up on after watching a documentary on Prime about Fat Wreck Chords (NoFx’s record label) who they were signed to in the 90s.

And lots of L7, in a sort of 90s trip down memory lane that turned into a oh they have a new lp out (Scatter the Rats), which this is from.

They too have a documentary L7: Pretend that we are Dead on Prime.

Also watched a couple of the Women of Rock Oral History Project interviews, which includes Donnita Sparks (L7) and Kira (Black Flag)

Finally picked up Scarred for Life volume 2 , which is the second compilation of imaginary 70s/80s UK TV theme tunes.

Recent Musical Explorations

My fallout with metal continues.

Currently obsessed with Talking Heads back catalogue, after deciding to take the plunge and explore it after realising their song “Once in a Lifetime” is one of my top 5 favourite songs and that isn’t changing anytime soon.  “Remain in Light” is on heavy rotation on the media player, and as well as various short documentaries about the band (the 1977 Southbank show, which is up on youtube, is especially good.   It’s also turned into a sub-obsession with David Byrne, who I find so damn clever and engaging. Here’s him doing Talking Heads’ Making Flippy Floppy.

He’s also/was Autistic – which makes sense to me and I suspected it by the way he carries himself and the way he doesn’t make eye contact, This video has his incredible positive take on it:

Also worth noting, he runs the positive news site Reasons to Be Cheerful

In other news I’m drifting in a world of ambient/electronic music I’ve not explored since the days of Mega Dog ( a big Hippy Rave that used to show up in Leed Uni Refectory, which featured Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Bianco De Gaia etc) in the 90s. I momentarily got over-excited about The Future Sound of London (who are actually from Manchester) releasing an album called Yage, until I realised its an album of remixes of a track off 90s Dead Cities release. Still bloody good, and has reconnected me with the band who have done a metric shit-ton of releases (under various guises) from their 90s heyday.

Finally, on this track, Trent Reznor’s and Atticus Ross’ Watchmen soundtrack is part of the reason I tune in to watch the current TV series.

On the new music front, I cheerfully put money down for Battle’s new lp Juice B Crypts. Now down to 2 members from 4 in the original line up, and three in the last line up, their music remains fluid, yet an intense mix of electronic samples and rock.

Lets talk about the Positive Spiral

Yesterday a whole slew of ‘blockers’ in my life resolved themselves. I’m currently sat here still enjoying that moment. The cheerleading voice in my head that has been previously cheering me on to get these blockers sorted, is having a rest and a nice cup of tea 🙂

As I posted to Twitter/Farcebook at the time:

“Some days are more Awesome and full of Win than others. Not only does the weather remain gloriously sunny, but after a good 9 months we’ve finally got the remortgage through, and the police rang to say they caught the gits who stole our car back in Oct :D”

The thing that surprises me is that it all happened within 24 hours. The remortgage, which takes a whole lot of financial stress of me and my family, I was kinda expecting. The police ringing up about the car theft, H suddenly getting reports of fantastic days at school, and the decision to fire the overly aggressive window cleaner (who was completely meek and accepting) came completely out of the blue. And there were other things as well. I’m in shock! A short of nice shock, were I fell warm and safe and my body is really relaxed. Weights have been removed from my shoulders 😀

The reason why I’m posting this is not through any sense of self-grandeur. But because of its Mental Health Awareness week. I get people saying “if you are depressed talk about it” that’s what I did when I had a breakdown in my early 20s  (thanks to those who listened). I get people saying “take more care of yourself” because I’ve spent the last 20+ years as a practising Taoist which has a variety of tools/methods for self-care. and improvement (meditation/Chi Kung/Tai Chi etc). But what isn’t said enough about depression is that its not something that you are going to have to suffer and cope with (I hate the term “coping mechanism”) for the rest of your life. If you put the “play” in you will quickly get results and find yourself on an upward spiral, that takes you to a previously undiscovered country of happiness and joy.

Because that’s where I’m at the moment, being sucked “upwards” to a more complete me. I won’t say the word ‘better me’ because I truly love all my previous incarnations, one of the paradoxes I’ve had to get my head around. If a fool like me can do it, so can you 🙂

Right off to walk the dog! 😀

 

The Days of the Week

These are the days of the week as I see them now, instead of the dull boring/miserable associations I used to use.  May it enlighten you and make your days HappyMad too 😀

Miraculous Monday. I used to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff I assign myself to get done in the week (the dark side of goal setting). Now I just acknowledge the miracle that I’m alive, and the joy of fill my plate high with stuff to do and make sure I have fun doing it.

Terrific Tuesday. Tuesday used to be this draggy non-entity of a day. Not any more, this is where I really get my head down and into the week’s work!

Magic Wednesday. A day of celebration, because at Midday you are suddenly going towards the weekend, rather than away from it 🙂

Thrilling Thursday. It’s nearly the weekend (or the start of the weekend if you are young/young at heart) so get excited!

Fantastic Friday. The fun-filled wrap up of the week’s work.

Slack Saturday, Ok there’s fun stuff to do with the family, but Saturday is the day

Smashing Sunday – Sunday boring and sleepy?  NEVER!!! 😀

As a FREE bonus for reading this post, here’s Blue Man Group with Mediation for Winners 🙂

Back to the Blog!

My long-running blog, started in July 2000*, is back in action. With a new address (mrnewt.dev – cos I’m like a developer of stuff) since newtus.co.uk has been hijacked and is now a Cheap Clothing webstore (gowan click on the link and witness the full horror).

This is mainly for me to chuck up memories and navel gaze about my life, but if you find value in it, welcome to the show 🙂

My new set of passport photos

My new set of passport photos

*Crikey its my own Rowdy Teenager off to raise hell at Uni! 😀

December 2016

It seems so long ago, but I had a cracking end of 2016 with the family.

First off was Dragonmeet, a RPG Convention/Trade show/Shopping Day down in London at the beginning of the month 🙂

Me at Dragonmeet 2016 in fighting form

Dragonmeet: Stuck in a lift with my homies Steve and John

I wrote more about Dragonmeet over on my D101 Games Blog.

Then the endless parade of school concerts/nativity plays that dominated weeks 2-3. My favorite was the Christmas Concert held at Oldham Parish Church, which Evie’s school choir was invited to sing at.

Evie at her Christmas Concert at Oldham Parish Church

Splatface comes to the Newport household

Out in Oldham Christmas shopping

Christmas itself was a quiet affair. I got loads of presents (which I still haven’t played with all of them), but me George and Evie did manage to get out on a cold and blustery Boxing Day to do the traditional walk thing 🙂

Boxing Day walk up to the Monument in Tandle Hills Park with Uncle George

Rach and Henry went to Guliver’s World in Warrington with our H’s Beaver group in October, and were keen to go back to this themepark/fairground aimed at 6-preteens. Just before Christmas Rachel noticed that they did a New Year’s celebration, so we signed up and spent from about 4-9 in the park before retiring to a nearby Premier Inn. As well as being fun in itself its the first time I’ve celebrated New Years in the last ten years or so!

New Years Eve at Gulliver’s World: Entering the park at 4pm

New Years Eve at Gulliver’s World : Darkness descends over the little castle

New Years Eve at Gulliver’s World: Farmyard ride, Henry is not impressed

New Years Eve at Gulliver’s World: Whee sliding!

It comes down to this

This year my experiences has led me to believe in no uncertain terms that we are bigger and better than the reality we believe ourselves to be trapped in. It’s like we are constantly looking down at our feet, with an inescapable deep back pain developing from our neck downwards as we break our own backs looking down, while a voice whispers in our ears saying “hey you’ve stepped in shit and everyone can smell it!”. Well not to put it to gently its time to “Free our mind and our ass will follow” and escape this victim-martyr-poor-me mentally.

It costs nothing, and will literally save the world that our thoughts create 🙂

November 2016

November was a quiet month. Work was briefly a bit bonkers. A sink hole opened up down the road. Other than that life just pottered on.

Henry and Evie are at that age that sometimes they don’t get on

Manchester tram

H (front far right) gets his second Taekwondo belt

Rainbow on a surprise snow day

Giant footstep in the road

Nearby Shaw on a clear day

Arggh the Knitting Monster