And just when you thought…….

And so dear listener, this week continued to provide the ‘first time that I’ve tried that’ kinda experience that I’m keen to have over the next, say, six months as I come to terms with certain events later in the year. 🙂

I’d never been to a self-harm intervention training day before nor two days of suicide intervention. But they were good and enjoyable and many of the skills I learned I hope never to have to use in the way that I carry a naloxone kit in my car just in case I bump into someone suffering an opiate overdose. Stand well back after you inject someone in that situation is basic advice. 😦

But in between the two days of suicide first aid as we called it (excuse me a second. There’s a noise downstairs/outside and I know Skippy’s not in……No. Nothing. I have a friend in Australia (Ruth) who was in a similar position and was in process of calling the police when the culprit emerged from the bushes – it was a ‘bloody huge bush-tailed possum’. Nothing quite so exotic in Summerston)

Anyway, between the two days of suicide training…….I and some of the guys from West Dunbartonshire and another worker went to the Coates Observatory in Paisley and it was really good. Okay, it was a bit cloudy so they didn’t open the roof and use the big telescope but they did set up a telescope in the back garden but because it was cloudy all you could see was Jupiter…..leastways he said it was Jupiter and I believed him. 😉

But it was really good cos the planetarium is digital and he takes you on a trip through the universe(s) and points out stars and massive galaxies with brilliant colours and in fact the last time I was on a trip like that….. (I’m just going to check again…just in case. I’ve closed the window…just in case it is coming from outside)

Sorry where was I? Oh, yes…anyway there is always a good laff to be had from Uranus and Mars gags, isn’t there? And the man made an interesting point when he said that their biggest and busiest weekends were the annual Doors Open days, which was strange cos they’re open most days of the week anyway. Tours like ours finished this week and start again in October.

Coats Observatory 130th Anniversary

So what else?

Well I never made it to Tescos in Port Glasgow which was a shame but it may yet happen. And I got loads of stamina for the self harm training from the free samples of Weetabix smoothies they were giving out in St Enoch Square. And I think I was an okay son altho’ I doubt I would have ever posted or re-posted all these fb messages to mums no longer with us cos I just can’t see my mum being in a Facebook Heaven reading them all. But, having just been to the chaos that is ASDA, I did buy my card and pressie several days in advance.

And finally, apparently it was fifty years ago that Radio Caroline started transmitting to the masses – pirate radio. I am old enuff to remember the original pirate Radio Scotland with Stuart Henry, Paul Young and Jimmy Mack. But many, many years ago I was told by some cousins in Glasgow (from whom I learned a lot) about this radio station which only came on when it was dark. It was Radio Luxemburg and it was brill with deejays like Pete Murray and Tommy Vance and the amazing Emperor Rosko and a deejay called Jimmy Savile who had a prog called ‘Under the Bedclothes Club’ Looking back….and I thought it was just about me and my tranny.

Anyway in a bid to get as many records in as possible in the wee fifteen minute and thirty minute progs they had, they used to play singles at faster than 45 r.p.m. Seriously.

What is that, young person? Singles? 45 r.p.m.? Ah young person you will have so much to learn. I am looking forward to teaching you 😀

Cya, keep(ing) it fun and still wearing that badge? Yup and it was looking forward to the wee trip down to Port Glasgow

Johnt850, wondering why anyone would give me a free fashion magazine? What do I need? How can I be improved sartorially?

So Celtic won the Scottish League on Wednesday night by beating Partick Thistle 5 -1 (thus gaining revenge for 1971) but we didn’t really see the final four goals. Leaving aside the problems caused by the smoke from the flares which seem to be required equipment for when Celtic come to Maryhill, we had been decanted to the old stand away from our usual position behind the goal. Tickets for there and other designated parts of the ground had been sold to Celtic fans.

Unfortunately some Celtic fans had been sold tickets for the old stand and early in the second half they began to reveal themselves. In greater and greater numbers.

There was no actual fighting within the ground that we saw but there were lots and lots of stand-offs which required the police and stewards to run around the stand and it was impossible to concentrate on what was happening on the pitch because of concerns for safety. The saddest site was seeing parents taking their tearful kids away from what should have been a treat.

I’m not apportioning blame. It was just so sad.

This is a 17 year old from Derry called Soak. As with so much music you heard it here first-ish. If you care to listen with your ears open.