I have tried to reply to all of them, thinking about two of my all time heroes - Harry Chapin and Cal Ripken (who I hear you ask). Well both are famous in their own ways. I will have mentioned Harry Chapin many times in the past. He fought world hunger and was a singer-songwriter who wrote amazingly poignant songs full of humanity. Half his concerts each year were for various charities he supported. He once said "each year we make more money and each year we give more away." Cal Ripken was a baseball player. I won't bore you here with his stats as they are pretty difficult to understand for non baseball fans.
He does hold the record for most consecutive games played - a remarkable 2,632. That's 2,632 games with no injuries or illnesses. That alone is a remarkable achievement and I have an idea that it is the most consecutive appearances in any team sport in the world. Ripken was born in Maryland and played for the Baltimore Orioles. Our first ever visit to the USA was to Maryland where we stayed just outside Baltimore. Ripken was married at a town called Towson and I'm sure we visited this and went to the fairgrounds way back in the late 1970s.
The thing that sets Chapin and Ripken apart for me is their incredible humanity and their appreciation of their fans. Ripken has supported so many charities over the years that you need to read his Wikepedia entry. If I listed them it would take my whole blog.
These are two men who used their special talents on behalf of others. Both were loved and revered by their fans. Harry Chapin would come into the foyer of anywhere he played to sign autographs, chat and have his picture taken with fans and I seem to recall that after his final baseball match Ripken stood in the baseball diamond signing autographs until the last fan had left the stadium. This is how superstars should behave - showing an appreciation of the people who have supported them.
I am so grateful for all the messages received on my birthday.
Definition of a birthday:
A birthday is when you are encouraged to eat all the things you are told not to eat the rest of the year because they aren't good for you and when somebody who usually tells you that certain things are bad for you, buys them for you but then suggests that you shouldn't really be eating them.
Can't wait for it to get dark though so I can try out my new monocular on the night sky.
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I was out cleaning up the summer house yesterday ready to paint it today and on my earphones I was listening to a new four CD compilation that took me back to the wonderful music of the year 1970.
This for me was the greatest year in the history of rock music. It's when so many different genres came together as music expanded and turned into something wonderful.
This compilation features the likes of Van Der Graaf Generator, Fleetwood Mac (when they were a serious blues based band), Caravan, Al Stewart, Jethro Tull, Edgar Broughton Band, Blodwyn Pig, Traffic, Lindisfarne, Gentle Giant, Hawkwind, Curved Air and many many more. These are bands and artists I grew up with. They come from an era when music could leave you with a feeling of wonderment.
And some of the albums and one of the songs from that era must both rate high in the most ridiculous names ever category. Pete Brown and Piblokto produced an album entitled "Things May Come and Things May Go But The Art School Dance Goes on Forever." Caravan had an album entitled "If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" and another entitled "For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night." not to mention "Cunning Stunts" which doesn't make a very comfortable Spoonerism.
Back to this compilation. There is a track on it by Egg (a very short name) entitled "The Song of McGillicudie the Pusillanimous (Or Don't Worry James, Your Socks Are Hanging in the Coal Cellar with Thomas)" What on earth is that all about?
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I mentioned yesterday that Great Yarmouth had failed in its bid to be the UK area of culture. Today I got my latest credit card bill and I had to smile . Apparently we ate at a place entitled The Dinning Room. I suppose culture takes in spelling.
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Was sad to hear of the death of MP James Brokenshire. From the tributes paid, he sounded a decent guy who was appreciated by his constituents. I am sure that there are many many MPs who work tirelessly for local people. The problem is they are tarred with the same brush as the lazy and ignorant ones (any names spring to mind) and we don't know who the good guys are.
It would be nice to have some measure of how popular MPs are in their local areas. That would certainly help me to get rid of some of the feelings of contempt that I have for so many of them.
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Had an interesting question yesterday from one of the groups I am a trustee of asking whether we should stop having an entry in the business section of the BT phone book.
I think all the trustees thought it a good idea to stop on the grounds that virtually nobody refers to BT anymore. If you want to find a telephone number you usually Google the company or individual through social media.
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Also mentioned yesterday the way betting companies pretend to have your wellbeing in mind. Then I saw an advert offering a free £5 bet for anyone staking £25 in a single week. I think this proves the point I made yesterday.