Showing posts with label Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society. Show all posts

Tuesday 3 March 2020

Pointless


I like Pointless, it's a quiz show that actually demands some intelligence and you do learn things from it. Richard Osman's "House of Games" is similar except in includes "personalities" (most of who'm I don't know) and is extremely good natured because although there are prizes it's done for the fun of it. Rge "celebrity" Pointless game is also done for charity and, again, is very educational and enjoyable, co-hosted by Richard Osman and Alexander Armstrong  (President of the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society and responsible for some extremely funny comedy sketches as part of the Armstrong and Miller duo with Ben Miller). So that's a hundred words which have nothing to do with what I was going to post about, apart from...

... I awoke from one of the most pointless dreams I've ever had, essentially I was doing something, either laying a floor or lawn on some waste ground under The Tyne Bridge which had a channel running from top left to bottom right towards the Ouseburn. There was a big mirror and records may have been involved and it might have been a carpet. Then I decided that the channel needed to run bottom left to top right so had to take everything up and redo it. It was on the Quayside side (North and Left is West and Right is East and I've just realised on the Gateshead side this would , at one point been a vague possibility. But my work life often means I have to undo things adn also reading Clive Barker's "Weaveworld" could have something to do with it and the carpet and been unwoven and now is being rewoven. But as you can see ultimately pointless.

So I am going to share Armstrong and Miller's streetwise Spitfire pilots with you as it's extremely funny. Although this unrelated pointless site is quite amusing.

Saturday 19 October 2019

Philosophy - #Oktoberfest #22 - The Philosophers Song - Monty Python


What is philosophy? I've never really thought apart from that fact that it's something that clever and intelligent people do so not for me. Definitions of it include:

  • The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. 
  • A theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behaviour.
    • "don't expect anything and you won't be disappointed, that's my philosophy"

So out of my league for consideration, my attention span is probably inadequate for pursuit of such thoughts and subjects.

I saw an advert relating to a Dementia Charity (follow the link to donate) and thought if that should happen to me , this blog is a diary that I can use to keep track about what has happened in my life. Last week I was at a work away day and forgot the names of three people I work with, I associated wrongs names with right initials with them and spoke to my doctor about it , but it seems Alzheimer's is much more fundamental than that, but something that steals your memories while leaving a functioning body and fairly worrying. My incident was just due to natural forgetfulness, so nothing major.

That is definite food to philosophize over, one would think, were I intelligent enough.

Ironically one of my favourite places in Newcastle is the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society which is housed in an amazing building and it's president is Alexander Armstrong and I am forever berating native Novocastrians who have never visited the place. It is both important historically and an amazing building and library and meeting place.

So this post really came about because of the #Oktoberfest sequence and although drink is not mentioned in the title, the incredibly clever "Philosopher's Song" sung by Australian Academics in the Monty Python sketch is based completed on the alcoholic consumption of historically notable philosophers so fits in well with the sequence. Listen, Learn and Enjoy.



Sunday 13 March 2016

King of the Castle



I continually berate Novocastrians for not visiting or knowing about some of the amazing things in Newcastle. The Lit and Phil and The Vampire Rabbit are two cases in point. I have been in Newcastle fr 30 years , which is half my life, the first twenty of which were spent in Preston then the next ten Southport / Tarleton / Leyland and then coming up to Tyneside.

Bela Lugosi ... Not Dead
Anyway yesterday , for the first time I properly visited Newcastle's Castle . So I am just as bad as the people I berate. The steps are daunting , and there are lots of flights of stairs that go off on different directions. I could tell you lots about the place but I include the video I took from the top (sorry about fingers and sound) and apart from being a castle it has lots of events on which are wonderful when watched there.

I didn't have much time so the main point wast to get to the top and enjoy "The Best View In Newcastle" . I think it was 100 steps up a stone spiral staircase, and the weather was lovely, but although I always say I am ok with heights as long as I feel safe , my vague vertigo started to get the better of me, but I persevered.

While up there I was talking to to a lovely lady from Northampton called Shirley or Sheila (my short term memory is atrocious)  and we were remarking how beautiful and impressive it all was. A friend had brought her up toe Newcastle for a couple of days as she had always wanted to come so I mentioned a couple of places worth visiting and it was good to be able to point landmarks out for them to aim for. Grey's Monument , The Botanist Dome , The Pearl Building , St James Park and The Bridges , The Sage and The Baltic are all very visible.

So today we have another lovely day and I am tempted by the Bela Lugosi night tonight .....but it's sold out so I shall include the Chvrches take on Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead" as a small consolation

Thursday 17 September 2015

It Makes Me Happy

What does ? Everything . Well lots of things , maybe I should just list things.

I know my recent posts have been about being happy , hugs and feeling good rather than slagging off Apple and mobile phone companies or being slightly down about  Preston losing , but seriously, I am grateful for being able to make this list. Part of the reason I can do so is that I do always look for good things regardless of what happens, and a small thing , today I got told I was out of my probation period and they liked me at work and last night Youtube relented and allowed my Ezra Furman slideshow for "One Day I Will Sin No More" . I will record my own version of this and put it up on my Youtube Channel soon.

So what makes me happy:
The Vampire Rabbit Spots Its Prey
  • The love and support I get from my close friends and family , here and all over the world
  • The fact there is always someone there for me , and I am there for them
  • The appreciation that people give me when I share time and experience with them
  • I love my hometown of Preston , I don't get there enough , but Newcastle is now my home and I love the place and it's people and the friends I have made here make me fall in love  with everything every day
  • I can't get down for too long because there is always something good about to happen
  • I love the positive things I can show people
  • I love berating people about not visiting The Lit & Phil , it is a beautiful amazing place
  • I love the fact that so many people don't know about the Vampire Rabbit and the look on their faces when I take them is brilliant
  • I love the fact my friend Barbara has resurrected Trillans and my friends Maz and Shev have made The Black Bull into the North East's Go To Punk venue and Dave and Julie Campbell have turned The Schooner into a brilliant Western Swing venue and brilliant pub
  • I love my friends
  • I love the culture , the museums , the coast
  • I love well I might never stop

Anyway that is just some of the stuff, have a brilliant day everyone , I really do love you all

Monday 30 September 2013

Good Things Happen

She Loves Me .. A New Rebecca Cother Picture - click for more
Well after the weekend, in some ways today has been apparently full of let downs. But actually those let downs then give way to more good things. I see a lot of sloganeering on Facebook saying that when something that isn't apparently to your advantage happens it's just God (or your favourite supreme entity) making way for the really good stuff to happen.

First of all I had no data signal between Newcastle and Darlington, but that gave me the opportunity to listen to music and read.

Secondly my peace and my table was disturbed by three people alighting at Durham, but we got on like a house on fire and the last part of the journey flew by.

Thirdly power failure closed down the Stand so I missed the Lit & Phil Benefit and my favourite comedian John Scott. That meant a nice meal at Dabbawal with Kirsty and Fiona, whis Juliet could have made it but she has course work to see to.

So today turned out rather well and I thought of this rather wonderful song by Lissie:




Saturday 28 September 2013

Summer Means Fun

Kanye West is God?
Well we are getting so much sun that even the doom mongers are admitting we've actually had a good summer, and it's still here. I'm not sure what to do today , probably visit the Lit & Phil to have a cup of tea or coffee and take in the beauty of the building , maybe visit the Laing to see their Divine Bodies exhibition , but just wish I could take photographs, but will make do with just seeing the exhibition.

There are always some amazing thing going on in Newcastle




 Then again I might take the ten minute train journey to Durham and have a look round the cathedral and castle.

One slight down side to the fantastic weather we are having is that I have another lawn mow that needs doing but that is a very small price to pay for all the great weather we are experiencing.

But it is all irrelevant , another brilliant weekend lies ahead, and if you are in Newcastle you can have just as good a time. Wherevere you are have the most brilliant weekend.


Wednesday 25 September 2013

No New Job

The Wonderful Lit & Phil Interior
..but if you don't keep trying you don't get anywhere. Lot's of positive comments from lot's of nice people. And sometimes just by trying one door another opens for you. I've proved to  myself that I can succeed, I have had some great feedback and discovered that I can express myself to people who matter.

And tonight I decided that I will be going to see my friend John Scott hosting a benefit for the wonderful Newcastle Literary & Philosophical Society  (they're on Facebook here) at The Stand on Monday

This is just a short post to let people know that I didn't get the job, and an excuse to share a picture of the Lit & Phil
and a a bit of John Scott (which is always good for you). Have a great night , or day if you are across the pond