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Winter Break 2009

First day back after a four day break by the coast and the opportunity to do some things I have never experienced since a very young boy on holiday with my Parents.

Up to the age of seven we used to holiday each year at Bispham in Blackpool for two weeks late June early July, then later in the year October at my Aunties caravan in Cleveleys for a week. As well as the annual street or Sunday School coach trip to see the Illuminations.

The trip to the caravan always allowed us to visit the world famous Blackpool Illuminations and a ride on one of the trams which are decorated in the lights. The Illuminations run from the end of August until the second week in November and are widely known as the greatest free show it has run since 1879 and attracts millions of extra tourists each year as the summer season draws to a close. The lights’ cable and wiring stretches more than 74 miles (120km) and there are more than 400,000 lamps of various types and styles. Electricity consumption has been reduced by nearly half in recent years with the introduction of the latest technology low voltage neon, lamps and micro processor controls.

So this year we decided to do an open deck double decker bus trip through through the lights, well on a cold November evening, just four of us did! but it did keep dry and the high winds of the previous days calmed.

The visit also allowed us to visit The Blackpool Tower, it was opened in 1894 after the Mayor had visitited the Great Exhibition in Paris. The Tower is 518 feet 9 inches tall and can be seen from a 30 mile radius, it features a lift which takes you to the glass windowed observation level at 380 feet in just 90 seconds. This level also features a glassed floor looking to the base of the Tower called the "Walk of Faith" many visitors refuse or do anything to avoid walking across it. You also have the opportunity to climb circular stairs for another three levels and the platforms are open to the elements but offer you an amazing view as far as The Lake District. I remember going up the lift when I was very young, but this time I braved also the stairs and wind to the top! If wind speeds go above 45mph The Tower lift is closed for safety reasons. The building itself also features a circus, aquarium, 3D cinema, entertainments, three restaurants and the famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom. The ballroom floor is 120ft x 120ft and is made up of 30,602 blocks of mahogany, oak and walnut. Above the stage is the inscription, "Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear" from the poem Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare. Each crystal chandelier in the ballroom can be lowered to the floor to be cleaned which takes over a week. From 1930 until his retirement in 1970 the resident organist was Reginald Dixon known affectionately as "Mr. Blackpool". The first Wurlitzer organ was installed in 1929, but it was replaced in 1935 by one designed by Reginald Dixon.

So you could say a bracing four days by the sea and a chance to relax bringing back some happy memories.

Stephen Gately 1976-2009 - Rest in Peace

It is sad the passing of anyone you may know and respect, but even so when they are just young and in the case of Stephen Gately a member of the Irish Band Boyzone just aged 33, but yesterday's Funeral in his home city of Dublin was most fitting to share grief but also celebrate the life of this young guy and what he loved so much music.

The Service was full of Music and also real words of comfort some from readings but also in the Eulogy from band member Ronan Keating, though his voice broke several times it was easy to see his words came from the heart and showed the love and respect they had for each other, describing Stephen as "a man, a friend, a brother, a son, a hero".

What is sad is the personal intrusion at such a time of grief from the media and one UK daily newspapers and a named regular columnist, who chose the day before the funeral to draw her own conclusions and to dissect Stephen's life and make judgements, even differing from the official post mortem which took place on the island of Majorca were he died, stating death was due to "natural causes". If anyone is going to Judge I accept that will only be One Person!

Having managed a Boy Band at the same time as Boyzone I also identify strongly even as a manager how you become Family and Brothers, that was shown with Stephen's mangers Louis Walsh and the four remaining band members, Ronan, Mikey, Shane and Keith yesterday. Boyzone featured in a TV documentary with the band I managed and we appeared with them in concert dates several times, two normal group of lads from similar backgrounds of Dublin and Liverpool.

Stephen clearly enjoyed life, in the latter years he seemed to also find the happiness that he searched for, may he now find an even deeper Peace and Joy, may he now Rest in Peace

Virus?

VIRUS? and this time we are not talking about the "Swine Flu" last Thursday afternoon I turned on my laptop only to find I kept getting a warning that my system was going to close down in 60 seconds due to "NTAUTHOIRTY.SYSTEM" this it did only to show the warning once again.

Friday morning I took my laptop into my computer dealer and he said he had never seen this warning before but he should have it resolved later in the day. I called back around 4.30pm to be told it seemed to be fine now and nothing had been lost, but they would run and test it overnight.

Saturday morning I went to collect my laptop, £35 which was more than I expected, but I was so glad to have it back. Until I powered it up and found that all my computer had been wiped, documents, photographs, birthdays, addresses and to even make it worse my PC which is made by HP keep all software on a divided hard drive had also been lost, including Microsoft Office and Word that I use daily.

It took me all day to get back onto line with my broadband ISP provider and to get my wireless set up working, then hours of updates and installing such as McAfee security.

I suppose the lesson is to backup, but how many of us do that daily?

Fitting, Reverent, Dignified Memorial

What a most fitting and reverent Memorial & Celebration for Michael Jackson was staged last night at The Staples Centre in Los Angeles. Dignified as I hoped it would be.

It was a Memorial Service and a Tribute, not as so many of the media this morning are calling it, a Concert.

There has been much discussion if it was right to allow his three children to attend, in my opinion it was, I missed the Funeral of My Grandad as it was felt I was too young at 12, it is something I have regretted since. I don't honestly believe Paris was pushed to speak, but it was so poignant and moving.

The above picture with Janet hugging Paris, with Prince Michael resting his head on her shoulder is what it is all about Family. Added to that the innocence of young Prince Michael II (Blanket) holding his doll of his Loving Father.

All I want to see is Michael Now in Peace and I Pray that The Jackson Family will soon be able to be once again a True Family with legal matters all completed.

Michael Jackson - 1958-2009

My Prayers and Thoughts today are with the three young children of Michael Jackson, as they grieve the loss of a Loving Father. I Trust the day will be dignified and a fitting memorial of the life and great contribution Michael made - May He Rest in Peace.

Back from The Coast once again

Back from a week at The Coast again, the above photo is from Fleetwood, once known more for its fishing industry, now sadly in decline and a famous old sweet still manufactured there The Fisherman's Friend, now you are more likely to see the marina.

It is always so good to get away, but last week was one of the few heatwaves we get in England and ever day and every night was just so humid, Once I always thought of living in Portugal, but I know clearly it would not suit me now, the heat would be too much.

Still long for the day to move to live full time by the sea, but it will have to be facing the ocean with waves and hopefully a cooling breeze most of the time.

The week was really relaxing, good food and for once even though there was bedroom Internet connection I only used it once!

Now time to start thinking of the next break away, on a budget!

Photo taken by EB - Thanks.