Tuesday, October 2, 2012

alive-alive-oh



Another trip to the dentist in Darkest Kent, held up by a meandering sheep en route who stood in the middle of the road sniffing the air and looking about in a delicate and very unsheeplike way as though unable to decide on the best course of action.  We eyeballed each other (sympathetically, I felt) for a few minutes while a few of its friends joined and waited for some kind of instruction or inner prompting as to what the next move should be.  They moseyed off thoughtfully onto the open heathland of the forest.  I went to get my tooth fixed.

A long drive like that (three-hour round trip, counting time spent in chair with mouth open) is not a good thing but this time was unaccountably better than last week - plus, I was not charged for the work, as I feared I might be.  And on the journey back I listened to The Best of Kirsty McColl and sang along.  So many good songs on that album, mostly love songs, a couple of the most quotable lines being, I fell out of favour with heaven somewhere, and I'm here for the hell of it now.

And then this (see above, by artist Yoshitomo Nara) waited for me on the doormat when I got home - a birthday postcard from a friend in Berlin, with lovely and funny words that uplifted me - just when I might have toppled into an afternoon's trough of miserableness.  Well, we have pain and fatigue but the spirits are badassly high.  And the title of the picture is Too Young To Die, which is spot on.  Sheep, friends, good words - what else is there?  (A cigarette, obviously - sshhh).


10 comments:

Anna MR said...

I am loving the word "badassly", as well as the fact you are that way; and that card is just fabuloso and no mistake.

I am meant to talk over at Heimat, too, but man, one has to run about doing stuff and that gets in the way of one's bloglife. No fair.

Must go out with dog (see?!?) but will be back later. Don't report me, please. Last time you did, I got full treatment of Room 101.

x

Reading the Signs said...

Oh - well I've already reported you for breach of post-promise. Should I report you also for not commenting on one of my posts? I don't think that carries quite such a heavy penalty, but on the other hand a crime is a crime, which that probably is (must look up relevant clause in big black book). Ok, well, I'll hold back on that one - for now. I'm just too good, I am.

Yes, I'm adopting badass.

me/cfs warrior said...

I'm enjoying your writing very much. I'm glad you made it back from the dentist.

I love the line you quoted from Kirsty McColl-

I don't know when your birthday is (or was) but I want to wish you a happy birthday although I always feel funny saying that to pwme so maybe a better sentiment would be to say I'm glad you are here....

Cusp said...

Well, well, well I never knew you liked Kirsty. I have that CD --- had it for years actually. I love so many of those songs (and lyrics). One of my favourites is 'Titanic' xxx So sad she had to go so young

VERY glad you got the tooth fixed and even more pleased they didn't charge you x

Reading the Signs said...

hello Warrior, good to see you here! Yes, it's a great line, isn't it? It's from a faux-country 'n western number called Don't Come the Cowboy.

Happy birthday is still good for pwme, I reckon - thanks :)

Reading the Signs said...

Cusp, yes, I imagine you would like Kirsty - she is one of my favourite car-journey singers, and some of the songs have such a 60s feel to them. The Bangles best of are another but have lost the CD. Must get another.

Anna MR said...

Listen, Badass One – I have spent waaaaaay too much time doing something very silly and unnecessary and pointless, when I should have been [commenting on your Heimat and] working on an assignment. And now I'm going to make myself a cup of hemp tea (yes, you heard me: Hemp. Tea) and, you know, like, chill out for a bit [far out, man], and then go to bed like the totally rock'n'roll chick that I am.

I have spoken.

But you don't half get me into some silly trouble, you. One of the reasons you are so very liked by me, that is.

x

Maggie said...

Loving that picture! As for good car music, we've been very partial to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Into the Great Wide Open" CD which we always played on the way to Abersoch for hols when kids were still quite small but big enough to enjoy music. I'm so glad you got your tooth fixed for free, and that the travel was less of a nightmare this time round. Hugs from surprisingly sunny Liverpool.

Reading the Signs said...

Anna, working on an assignment, is it? Well that's not going to cut any ice with Blogostasi, I can tell you. And they have been muttering about "vowel restriction", just saying. Look, don't blame me, I'm just the messenger. But anyway, look at you all avant-garde and experimental - rock on, schwes!

Maggie, I'll have to look them up on Youtube. When kids were small, the Beach Boys always did us proud. It's raining here - as it has done most of the year.

Anna MR said...

Noooooooooooooooooooo – not vowel restrictions, please. Will be good girl, ever such a good girl.

But listen, you. That was a mighty lovely post you put up today, you know, with the candle and everything. I cannot comment on it properly right this very moment – fresh from theatre rehearsal, somewhat inebriated (spelling?) as "fresh" generally means "two glasses of red wine afterwards, then home" (except when it means a whole lot more). Shame on me. But that were lovely, Schwesterlein, and I will be getting back to it in due course.

Just stay the Blogostasi off me, please. If anyone can do it, if anyone can save me – you can.

Putting all my faith and hope of survival in your hands,

x