10.12.2022 | “The Ocean Is Still Out There, Magnificent and Wide…”

Lyrics: “Sailor’s Boots” ~ Frank Turner, 2011

Magnificent and wide. And wild and stormy and foggy and still able to calm my soul.

I slept in, read some news and social media on my phone. Meditated. Had a coffee. Went to the beach around 11 and braced the cold and wind to walk up and down the shore for a while. Went back “home”. Had breakfast. Edited the morning photos. Read some more (newspaper, a bit on the phone, self-help). Went back to the beach in the dusk and braced to cold once more. Got home. Took a long hot shower. Edited some more photos. Had supper. Posted this. Will read some more. Go to bed early-ish to get another restful night of sleep, before I head back home to Germany tomorrow. Coming here to recharge was a good idea, I think….

04.12.2022 | “I’m Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired…” Still!

Lyrics: “Haven’t Been Doing So Well” ~ Frank Turner, 2021

Live Music | I went to a gig yesterday and it was wonderful. I admit in recent years I’ve been a bit of a snob re: German pop / rock music. Possibly because the stuff on mainstream radio feels so generic. Sound and especially lyrics wise. Bland and interchangeable. Nothing that hooked me in any way. But I also admit that I never really made the effort to look into other, less mainstream German artists / bands. It’s the same with English artists though. I sometimes feel bad that my musical taste is quite limited and that I don’t check out new bands or new to me old bands. Or that I don’t listen to the variety of music, I think a lot of my music pals (which I found through Frank Turner) listen to. And then I start feeling like a fraud for being so single minded in my musical preferences and so ignorant of other bands / artists. Ugh! It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. It’s not a contest. But that’s just me. Imposter syndrome and all.

Anyway, I found this German artist Thees Uhlmann through Frank as well, when he was one of the supports at Lost Evenings in September. He blew my mind then and I was so glad that I was able to get a ticket to the additional afternoon show in Cologne yesterday. As expected, it felt amazing to sing those songs, which I’ve grown to love in these past few weeks, with a room full of people. It was lovely to see that Thees felt thrilled to be there on stage doing the thing he loves. And to be appreciated as audience as well. He’s quite similar to Frank in that regard, I thought. Loved it.

Especially when he played my two favourite songs. “Avicii”, about the Swedish DJ, who took his own life a few years ago. Just like in Berlin in September, Thees talked about mental health and asked people who were struggling to reach out to friends and to talk about it and to seek out therapy, because there is no shame in it. And that meant so much to me. Obviously. The other song (“Ein Satellit sendet leise”) has these wonderful lyrics about the monsters under our beds and how they sometimes still are alive and kicking. Which is something I know so well myself. Again… obviously. That was the final song of that gig and my heart was so full after. Live music does make every day better.

This clip is neither of those songs, but a very old song from his former band Tomte. I had to record a bit of that one to send to Bro2.

Street Photography | So yes, yesterday basically was a good day. I had spent the morning in Cologne as well, spoiling myself with a breakfast in a cafe, a trip to the bookstore (didn’t buy anything) and thought I’d just stroll around with my camera. Which I did, though I was quickly overwhelmed by the people at the Christmas markets and opted for side streets back to the venue of the gig. Had coffee and cake and strolled around some more and took some photos, but the mood of those are rather bland. Depressing. Winter in the big city. I don’t know. When I came back home from the gig I felt soooooo tired, because I had been on my feet for so long by then. Maybe not the best idea to get 14.000 steps in before a gig. When will I ever learn?

Colourful house in Cologne, December 2022
Colourful house in Cologne, December 2022

Books | I’m glad I didn’t buy any new books, because there are still enough on my to-read shelf. I started the latest Jasmin Guillory romance novel “Drunk on Love”, because I did enjoy most of hers, I’ve read so far. But I just couldn’t get into this one. And it was my 2nd attempt. For a moment I considered just skimming the second half of the story to see how it ends (though I think I could guess how), but then decided against it. It would have felt like even more waste of my time. Maybe I should stick to non-fiction for a while.

20.11.2022 | “God, That’s Brilliant”

Lyrics: “God, That’s Brilliant” ~ Operation Mincemeat, 2019

Musical | My favourite musical – “Operation Mincemeat” – is being transferred to a stage in the West End in London next year. Holy shit! To be honest, I have no idea how the process works of getting a new-ish musical to be performed on a stage in one of the two most renowned theatre areas in the world (Broadway being the other one, of course). But I’m pretty sure that it is a BIG deal. Especially as this one was written by “Spitlip” an absolute newcomer in the business. It’s their first ever musical.

Felix, Natasha, Zoe and David from SpitLip after they won their first award

A lot of people in the theatre / creative art scene helped them get there. But none the less. They made it to a West End stage. I’m so excited for them, because I just love their work and from my own experience of meeting them after shows in the past and their interaction on social media, I think they are just bloody lovely people. And yes, of course, I’m going to be there to watch it. Multiple times. In April 2023. Probably again in June. We’ll see. I’ve been a fan of Felix Hagan’s music since Frank Turner (him, again!) took “Felix Hagan & The Family” (Tash being one of the ‘background’ singers) on tour as support in 2016. This clip gives you a good idea of what wonderful glittery glam-rock their music and shows are

I started following them on social media and got excited when I heard about the musical idea in 2018. Watched all the “work in progress” YouTube videos, was there for one of the first shows on their first run in April 2019 and was blown away right away. They reworked and refined parts of the show since then and it was super interesting to see the different versions of this show (in early 2020 and then again last summer). And I can’t wait to see it again next year.

Books | I’ve been reading quite a lot recently as well. Sometimes while streaming old / new TV shows in the background. I don’t know what that says about my (lack of) focus. I really enjoyed “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow”, which was a detour from my regular “rom-com / historical fiction / contemporary romance fiction” genres. But a good one. At the moment I’m reading a regular rom-com “Better Than Fiction”, which is nice. Nothing spectacular, but interesting enough characters and plot so far. Whenever I browse the sale / recommendation sites of my regular big chain book stores I get recommendations for two very successful female authors from the contemporary romance fiction genre. SO many recommendations because they’ve written so many books so far. I read one of each and I didn’t enjoy the one and the other I aborted before the midpoint mark. Every once in a while, I contemplate giving either one another chance, because they obviously must do something right to sell as many novels as they do. But then I can’t bring myself to do that and just pick different authors instead. A bit peevish maybe.

Fun | After the quite busy and stressful week I was glad to be able to relax with friends on Saturday. Playing games, chatting, enjoying time with each other. We really need to do that more often.

Boardgame "Ticket to Ride: London", 2022
“Ticket to Ride: London”, 2022

And now…. off to the sofa, with a coffee, (e)book and a blanket, because winter made a first quick appearance here this weekend.