Television Fantasy – Joe Astley & The Wallgate Band

Sometimes you hear a song which sounds like a medley of songs fused into one (think of Greenday’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams). Occasionally, you hear a song which tells a real story. Rarely, you hear a song which brings the two together and resonates so closely with your day-to-day life that you immediately sit up and take notice.

But Wigan stars Joe Astley and The Wallgate Band have absolutely nailed it with their latest offering, ‘Television Fantasy.’  

From the funky bass introduction through to Joe’s vocals building to the anthemic singalong chorus, you can’t help but be infected by the song’s catchiness. In a year when Covid-19 has dominated the planet and the world has been locked away, the lyrics hit just the spot.  It continues whilst touching on subjects such as the political chaos in the United States and the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained momentum following the tragic death of George Floyd.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, television fantasy is all you know for certain, pay no attention to the riot at the front door, television fantasy is all there is worth living for.

Television Fantasy

The cultural shift that occurred as result of the pandemic seems such a lifetime ago. Mentioning this, the song takes another twist. The removal of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol gets a nod as the song covers the endless news stories that have dominated 2020.

They’re pulling down the statues and they’re breaking down the walls. Stranded in the no man’s land of someone else’s war. There’s chaos in the streets tonight, there’s panic in the halls.

Television Fantasy

Then, when you think the song has given up all it can offer and you feel it’s coming to an end, it shifts again to a soaring guitar riff, delivering a poignant message.  

These streets won’t show you mercy, these streets where you call home.

Television Fantasy

You know when a band has a signature tune at their live gigs? You get the feeling this could be Joe Astley and the Wallgate’s band song where it all goes off. And having featured on the Brits and Pieces Compilation and worked with Citylightz at Rockfield Studios, you can’t help but feel excited about 2021 for this outfit.  

Television Fantasy is available to preorder from Apple Music now by clicking here and available from all other streaming sites on 1/1/2021.

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Edited by : H.Caine

Unlike Any Other..

By 9:30pm, I want a picture of your clothes, laid out on your bed, so that I may approve them”. 
“Yes, sir,” came the prompt response.
“I need to know your ETA for the morning. And remember, no panties and you’d better be wet upon arrival. I will be checking.” 

“Understood.” 

His phone pinged just before 9:30pm. He’d been watching it all evening, waiting for her message. Exactly as he had requested, she had laid out a tight black dress next to a plunging lace bra which he recognised from some photos she’d sent. No panties but fish net stockings with a lace suspender belt. Perfect! He felt himself getting harder as, once again, the anticipation made his mind wander. 

Ryan thought he was managing to sound like he knew what he was doing but the truth was, this was a whole new ball game to him. He found it relatively easy to hold his own in social circles. He got by with just listening. In most conversations, he almost always managed to find some common ground, pulling a thought or a memory from some by-gone experience. He felt it usually put him at an advantage. But now, with Natalie, he was struggling. He’d always had dominant tendencies but he’d never taken it to this extreme before. 

He’d always believed that the art of listening was long lost in society, but in Natalie, he felt he had found his match. She could seemingly recall any detail from any conversation.  

“No, no Ryan, you said…,” was sometimes uttered, and invariably, frustratingly, she was correct. However, he wasn’t daunted, it just made him up his game. He liked being challenged; kept on his toes. But so did she. The set-up suited them both equally. 

Tall, slender, short dark hair, beautiful eyes, perfectly rounded tits. She was hotter than hot. But more than her physical attributes, it was her mind and her straight-talking ways that enchanted him. She was as straight as they come – a spade was simply a spade. She had a way which was quite unlike anyone else he had ever encountered. It was disarming and yet strangely captivating. 

The day had finally arrived. But to his surprise, he didn’t just get an ETA. The message popped up, ‘Natalie is sharing her location.’ He was transfixed as he watched her car darting across the map, getting ever closer, passing increasingly recognisable places. She’d said she was nervous, but the truth was, so was he. His palms were sweating; his stomach flipping with every new thought. He couldn’t let her see it though. He had to maintain his poker face – partly to keep up the pretence but also to help quell her nerves. He knew she would feed off any chinks in his armour. 

They both knew what was coming. It was a ‘date’ they’d organised an exasperatingly long time ago. Each day had increased the tension but the last week in particular had been hard as each day slowly ticked itself off. They knew one another and had been communicating daily for a while. They’d shared their innermost secrets, discussed boundaries and preferences, swapped photos. In a strange way, all the communication had made the wait feel longer.  

They’d met once before – a seemingly innocent evening, with a meal and a few drinks. But just before parting ways, they had managed to grab a stolen moment, pushed up against a wall, their mouths connecting, his hands rushing over her wonderful body. When a stranger walked closely by and remarked, “Put her down,” they couldn’t help but giggle like a pair of teenagers. “He’s just jealous,” Ryan calmly reassured her before hungrily tugging at that delicious bottom lip once more. 

Snapping back to reality, Ryan heard a car door slam shut outside. He heard her walk up to the door and knock gently. It was still early morning. School runs had just been completed and as she entered the house, he could see parents returning to their own homes. She kicked off her shoes and stood by the doorway, waiting. Instinctively, he grabbed her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. Her breathing hitched as, keeping his promise, his other hand began to lift her tight-fitting, black dress to check her wetness. He was taken aback as his hand slid up her thighs and his fingertips connected with her soft delicate pussy. She was already noticeably wet.  

“Fuck, you were right,” he growled, referring to her past reassurances, “Upstairs now”. 

He followed, watching those gorgeous, long legs and that taut, firm arse slink into his bedroom. She slowly turned to face him and they kissed again, before he pushed her back onto the bed. Lifting her dress further, he revealed her stocking tops and suspenders. She lay back and sighed, anticipating what was to come. His mouth moved to the silky soft skin between her legs. Finally laying his eyes on her freshly shaved landing strip, Ryan struggled to contain himself. 

Her scent already emanating from her gorgeous pussy, he closed his eyes and allowed his tongue to trace up and down her lips. Feeling his desperation grow, he grabbed her arse and pulled her in close, lapping hard as a moan escaped her mouth. He moved over her body and their lips connected, their tongues exploring in turn. “Why are you still dressed?” he barked, rhetorically and she slid off her dress. 

“Nice bra,” he whispered almost apologetically. He hadn’t got the chance to enjoy it for nearly long enough but he just couldn’t wait to experience those tits and gorgeous nipples. He’d seen them in photos – so perfectly formed. He undid it and slid it off her shoulders. Hungrily, his mouth engulfed her nipples one at a time. Enjoying the sensation of them stiffening at his touch, his cock hardened. Suddenly, finally, his fingers penetrated her. Her body writhed under him, as he plunged his fingers deeper inside her; rocking her body back and forth; fucking her with his hand; feeling her get wetter with each thrust. He pressed his thumb down and rubbed her clit until she started to uncontrollably spasm as she came closer and closer to climax. 

“Fuck,” he thought, “I’ve only just begun here and already she’s at my mercy”. He picked up the pace and rhythm – he wanted her to enjoy every last second. Her moans turned to groans as he frantically brought her to a crashing climax. Breathing heavily, he felt her orgasm washing over her. If only she knew that this was just the start…. 

Strong

Strong – Adjective – Able to withstand force, pressure or wear.

Excuse me for a while, While I’m wide-eyed and I’m so down caught in the middle

I’ve excused you for a while, While I’m wide-eyed and I’m so down caught in the middle

And a lion, a lion, Roars would you not listen?

If a child, a child, Cries would you not give them?

Yeah, I might seem so strong, Yeah, I might speak so long

I’ve never been so wrong

London Grammar – Strong

Like love and hate, there is an incredibly fine line between strength and vulnerability.
Two people who I have become close to, underneath the surface, have been dealing with so much, even disregarding this shitty covid year.
They have faced very different but nonetheless difficult times. However to a casual observer, you wouldn’t know a single thing was hurting their beautiful hearts.
I mean, I feel privileged to have become close enough to them that they allowed me to see them at their most vulnerable. It displays a huge amount of trust to be given this no holds barred, soul bearing view.
They’ll get through it, I know they will, even if they don’t. Hopefully I’ll be able to help them raise a few smiles along the way.
That being said, there’s a friend of a friend who’s having just the absolute worst time possible. Like hand on your heart, blow after blow, crushing time.
It’s not at the hands of a malicious ex though, or anything at all like that. They are facing the biggest battle, and man does my heart ache for them.
I mean, why does it happen to the beautiful souls, with so much to give? Why does it always home in on their greatest attributes to weaken them?
It’s in these moments though when they see who’s got their back. Who’s worth their time. There is a phrase,

Darkness can only be scattered by light and hatred can only be scattered by love.

Pope John Paul II

It’s true on both counts. When you’re down and you’ve reached the bottom. In your darkest moments, there will almost always be someone there for you.
A little beacon of light for you to gravitate towards. In this case, this person has at least one that shines brighter than a light saber. AT LEAST ONE, and to be honest, even if they only had this one person, I know that would be enough.
Nothing is ever too big or too much trouble. So when you’re reading this, know that you can focus on what’s ahead, as you know your back is covered.
You’re stronger than you think, but let others take up the slack when you want to be weak. No one will judge you for it. Be kind to yourself above anyone else.

When those times hit, have a listen to the playlist. I hope it helps you get through a moment, because ultimately, that’s all they are, just moments in time. And each one that passes is another big win. If you ever need anything then know you have someone else to call upon, unconditionally……..

You got this.

I Said Hi

Tell em all I said Hi, hope you’ve been well. You’ve been asleep while I’ve been in hell.
Tell em all I said Hi, have a nice day. I’ll be just fine don’t worry bout me.

Amy Shark – I Said Hi!

I recently heard this song for the first time, and I had never heard of this talented Australian.
I mean Amy Shark may not be the most fortunate of names now after the global pinkfong success of Baby Shark, or maybe it will make her more memorable.
I misheard the Lyric at first and thought it was “Tell your mom I said Hi” which really made no sense. Had it been a male vocal then it could have been a totally different story.

Anyway, enough of my rambling about the inspiration behind this post. I guess I’d better write about what I really wanted to cover. I don’t think it will be easy so bear with me. I will endeavour not to make it a mindless rant.

‘Tell em all I said Hi’ – The fact is, that you don’t need to. They are probably reading, or maybe one of them is and they will start the jungle drums beating.
I still hear the whispers now, almost 12 months on.
I still see the signs. Unwittingly blocked by people I have interacted with, purely on the timeline. Why? Because someone that believed they knew me told them to.

Twitter is a big place, but it’s also a small place. You never fully know who’s behind a screen, and even when you do know, you don’t “know” them, you know what they want you to see. That’s why I am careful about who I trust, because even people you have spent time with and looked into the whites of their eyes, aren’t always as they seem.
Make no mistake, ‘some’ people absolutely will use whatever they can against you. I was shocked to see a name from my past appear today. Someone I once considered a friend, who decided to take sides over something she knew very little about.

It knocked me for six, because yes, even twelve months on, they are still there. Still trying to destroy me.
They believed I threatened them. I didn’t.
They said they had contacted the police about me and these threats. They didn’t. How do I know? Because I contacted the Met police on 101 myself and asked them how I could get my laptop and mobile checked over a case that had been brought against me. There was no case, it was an agenda, to back up what they were saying about me.

I had ranting videos about me, threads with my images and personal details shared. They thought they were doing people a service. Obviously so did twitter as they left my details there for anyone to see.
I had a parody account set up in my name, with my pictures. There just to annoy and troll people pretending it was me. What did twitter do when this account was reported. MADE ME prove that I was actually me. Unbelievable! I did and the account went.

Still though, every so often, I get a nudge to remind me that they are there and still watching. A friend I had spoken to in public, got a DM from an anonymous account asking her to “Calm the sex chat down as David is my otherhalf” If it wasn’t so unbelievably freakish it would be funny.
If only I had an “Other half” or even some sex chat!

Then a comment on my blog, claiming to be from one of my good friends, blowing up at me because I had given them the impression that I was interested in them, but everybody knew who I was, and I quote “shagging” ..
Sadly, once again they either at best underestimated the friendships I had formed, or at worst just wanted to stir up trouble between two innocent bystanders. Again, if it wasn’t so batshit mental, it would be funny.

The funny thing is, those around you always claim to talk about how important mental health is. The IP addresses of all of the above have been logged, just in case I ever need them. I suspect the threats that you claimed were from me, were probably from someone you know to make it look more authentic.
I am not the kind of person to make threats. I am the kind of person to walk away and never look back. Maybe that was your problem in the first place.

So, If you are reading, why not exercise one of these two options.

Either GROW UP and leave me and those who I interact with well alone. Let people judge me on how I am with them rather than how you and your ‘friends’ perceived me 12 months ago. Or GROW A PAIR and tell me what you want. An apology? What? My DMS are unlocked. My number hasn’t changed…

S’il vous plait

Final check of the mirror, make up done, dress straightened, a little cleavage, but not too much. Quick check in the bag, phone, purse, keys, lipstick, “parfait” she thought.

The taxi journey felt like an age, she had waited so long for this night and it was finally here. As the rain pounded down on the metal and glass surrounding her, the bright lights of the city reflected in the puddles outside, finally she was there. The doorman of the hotel opened the car door, the revolution of Uber meant no scrabbling round for spare change and worrying about whether the tip was right.

As she made her way through the lobby, her heels clicking on the tiled floor, she felt the butterflies in her tummy. It was as though everyone was watching her, like she was in a movie. She took her seat at the booth in the corner of the bar and ordered an espresso martini, she desperately needed the caffeine hit.

“Oh and may I have a glass of soda water too , s’il vous plait” the French subconsciously slipping out at the end.

————-

Watching the clock tick, the sound almost deafening as the day slid away. The reservation was for 8pm but it still felt like an eternity away. Walking into the bathroom and turning the shower on, the towel dropped to the cold hard floor and he tentatively stepped under the shower head, the hot beads bouncing ferociously off his taut body. Squirting some shampoo into his palm and massaging it into his scalp, turning the temperature dial up so the water was almost boiling, skin reddening as he rubbed the soap across his chest. His eyes closed and mind wandered back to that one fleeting moment they had actually met, her chocolate skin glistening under the lights, her piercing eyes staring right into his being. He resisted the urge to relieve some tension and quickly washed off the soap as time was ticking away.

Staring in the mirror and glancing into the bedroom to the red LED, 7:40pm. Twenty minutes to go.

Rushing back into the bedroom, picking up the neatly folded clothes and slipping on the black boxers and crisp dark denim jeans, sitting on the bed and pulling on his socks before grabbing the brown brogues from the box by his side. Back to the bathroom and a spray of deodorant and a few squirts of cologne across the neck and body and one for luck downstairs.. “hey you never know” he thought as he smirked in the mirror.

Back to the bedroom and taking the perfectly ironed, box fresh white cotton shirt from the hanger.

A quick puff of the cheeks, and the final touches of the Rolex his dad left him before checking that wallet and room key were present.

————

Staring intently at the entrance, biting her lip nervously, the excitement building, the maitre d appeared out of nowhere, “Madame, are you ok? Can I get you anything else?”

“Oh I’m good thank you sir”

A wry smile and the door opens.. is it..

IT IS!!

“Stay calm, STAY CALM” she tells herself repeatedly but she knows her face is beaming, his biceps, pressing out of his brilliant white shirt, his thighs stretching every inch of the skinny jeans, and those shoes, her mama always told her that you can tell a lot about a man from his shoes, and they were on point. Classical and quirky. He just oozed charm.

Their eyes met and she could feel the smile emanating from her soul.

——————-

The lift seemed to take an age. It was only 12 floors but might as well have been 112. I suppose that’s what a classic renovated elevator does for you, you know the ones with the iron doors that draw open before the external doors. As he walked through the lobby to the restaurant his mind began to wander. A quick polish of the shoes on the back of his jeans before entering the dining area. His eyes darted across the floor, was she even here? He’d left his phone upstairs, he wanted zero distractions tonight so hadn’t even checked and then all of a sudden he caught her in the corner of his eye.

It was those piercing eyes and movie star smile that he saw first, then slowly gazing downwards, her perfectly toned legs that went on for miles, she looked stunning, but then again he expected nothing less. Approaching the table, the maitre d followed hastily.

Monsieur, Madame, May I take you to your table now?

He could sense the confusion in those deep dark eyes.

—————

As he approached, the butterflies turned into eagles, her stomach was performing flips and each step he made her feel like there was no one else in the room. Her eyes saw the maitre D behind and just before he could sit down Victor asked could he take them to their table. She thought this was their table but thought better of interrupting. She grabbed her purse as they were led up a narrow hallway and into a small private lift, unlike all the others in the hotel, as the elevator climbed she just kept looking at the floor, she felt a hand suddenly grab her backside firmly, rubbing, and warm breath by her neck. It sent shivers to her core. She had longed for this touch, all the more exciting as Victor was merely inches away. She heard a feint whisper breathlessly in her ear. “ I hope you know what you’re in for Princess”, her legs almost gave way but she regained her composure as the lift opened and she was on the top floor, 360 degree view of the city below and beautifully lit palm trees lining the rooftop pool. “Dining al fresco tonight Madame” ushered Victor.

————-

Pausing for a moment to take in the view, he shook Victor’s hand and slipped him a fifty. “Monsieur once the food has been consumed, the penthouse suite is yours. Everything has been taken care of as requested.”

His eyes cast back over Victor’s shoulder as she was excitedly looking over the balcony at the city below. Her curves hugging every inch of the dress in all the right places. Snapping out of the gaze as the waiter brought the starter and drinks, pulling out her seat and delicately placing the napkin across her lap. Joining her at the table he could see her eyes sparkling under the blue lights. They tuck into the meal, a relaxed silence, with just glances, touches of the hand and smiles, the city bustling below.

The courses, flew past, the conversation picking up, but all very polite, work, news…… quite ‘vanilla ‘really but they were both aware of where this was headed.

——————-

The meal flowed, as with the wine, she couldn’t believe all of this was happening, these things never happened to a girl like her, but here she was, atop the place to be in the city, the waiter taking her seat and covering her lap with the napkin, her glass was never empty despite drinking constantly to stop her mouth from drying with the nerves. Every so often he would reach across and gently brush her hand, the hairs would stand on end and her stomach would go once again. ‘What the fuck was this feeling!’ His hands were masculine yet the touches were delicate, feather light.

As the desserts were brought out, she slowly lifted her foot out of her heel and gently slid it across the table. She felt his leg through the sheer material and slowly rubbed up and down his calf. His smile widened and his muscles tensed. As the plates were taken away, a bucket with a bottle of champagne was laid before them as the waiter smiled.

“Monsieur, Madame, please”

Their seats were moved and they were led up the spiral staircase to the suite.

“Any problems please just call…”

The door hadn’t even closed and she felt an arm around her waist, pulling her back to the doorway, her arse banging the door firmly shut..

“Mine” he growled down her ear as she froze to the spot, opening her neck up to his mouth, waiting to let herself go.

Quick as a flash her wrists were pinned above her head, their mouths connected and the kiss was as electric as she had hoped. His tongue caressed and teased her lips and plunged in her mouth she felt her legs buckle but his strength in holding her wrists kept her steady and then it happened.

She felt his free hand slide her skirt up over her thighs, and within a split second and a firm tug her panties were torn away and cast to the floor, her pussy cold from the air conditioning but warming in anticipation. His fingers teased over her clit and firmly rubbed up and down her lips. She was losing all control.

—————

As soon as the door closed he knew she was his. He had longed for this time, but also knew she deserved to be treated like a Princess. His mouth was teasing her neck, has hands were pushing her wrists high above her head, her dress bursting by her full breasts at the unnatural position. His free hand wandered and his lip curled as the soft material of her knickers gave way at the firm tug. His breathing hitched as he felt the warmth between her thighs, each touch releasing a little more. He could feel his jeans tighten and as she gasped and her legs gave way, he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. Tossing her to the bed her dress riding up revealing her perfectly waxed pussy. Unbuckling his belt and kicking away his shoes, he stripped down within seconds, his shirt pulled over his head.

Lying above her and staring into her eyes, he once again kissed that gorgeous neck, sucking and biting as she positioned herself closer to him, almost begging to feel him inside her. She felt his tip rubbing her clit and the pressure sent chills through her core.. desperate for more she wrapped her legs around him and dug her heels in his arse, easing his length inside her, her lips dragging his foreskin over his shaft, her gasps as she stretched around him rocking gently at first, grinding to fill every inch of her.

Picking up momentum she could feel herself already to explode ..

“Stop stop stop not yet”

—————

Looking down at her curvaceous figure, his eyes fixated on that gorgeous face, her reactions telling him all he needed to know as he teased her, making her want him even more. Then he felt her heels jar against his backside and suddenly he was deep inside her, that sensation as his length entered her, her walls adjusting to take him feeling better than ever.

Rocking against her body and reaching behind to bind her ankles together with his hand, her perfectly rounded arse exposed to him as she lifted up to get the perfect angle.

—————-

As she gasped with each thrust she couldn’t help but reach down and slowly tease her hardening nipples, tweaking and tugging them between her perfectly manicured fingertips (slut red of course) the sensations were simply electric as each thrust sent her closer and closer. Suddenly out of the corner of her eye she saw the full length mirrored wardrobes, unlocking her legs and wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him down to her face ‘wait, wait, she tenderly whispered, I want to watch’ before averting her gaze to the side of the room.

——————

Wondering why she had released her hold and feeling her warm hands linked around his neck, she whispered, looked and instantly he knew what she wanted. Slowly easing out of her he reached around her body and spun her round by the waist, in no time she was on all fours and parted her legs. Slowly moving closer and guiding his now throbbing cock he pushed between her arse cheeks and guided himself inside her now soaked pussy. ‘Fuck’ he thought as the change of angle gripped him tighter than before and as he looked down at her backing into him he saw the change of angle on her head.

——————-

Within no time she was exactly where she wanted, she grabbed a couple of pillows to rest on as she tilted her head sideways. As she caught them in the mirror she could feel her clit tingling, reaching between her legs and placing extra pressure as he slid fully in and out, his body slapping her arse as her gorgeous breasts bounced with the rhythm. She felt ready to explode again but didn’t want the enjoyment to end and then she muttered ‘my hair’….

——————-

Watching in the mirror was far more of a turn on than any porn he had watched, especially with this gorgeous, curvy girl he had connected with as the star. As he built up the pace, the friction making his dick twitch and throb inside her, he heard her mumble something.. he processed it as at first he thought she’d said it hurts and was unsure whether to stop but her body gave away that this wasn’t the case. He slowly reached forward and slid his hand over her head, gripping her neck and then carefully wrapping her shoulder length hair around his fingers, then as she bucked away from him he tugged firmly and her head snapped back and she felt herself pulled back onto his dick.

————

She gasped loudly in shock and excitement. ‘Fuck yeah, harder she begged’. It was like a switch had been set off inside her, her hands now face down on the bed supporting her as her legs buckled, each thrust accompanied by a controlling tug of her hair bringing her back to position. The moans getting louder and louder and this reaction taking him to the brink. Suddenly the hand pushed her head forward and she was glad for the respite as she felt she could literally explode. She buried her head in the pillow as he grabbed her waist, fucking her harder, her juices now coating his cock, a loud moan left her mouth and her body went to jelly, her pussy now cold around his shaft signalling her climax. He reached round and pinched her clit as he took himself over the edge, unable to wait any longer as his dick exploded deep inside her. She grinned against him in circular motions making sure she squeezes out every last drop, her thighs getting coated in the mixture as they both slumped breathlessly to the bed in a heap, bodies beaded with sweat.

—————

Her mind and body were exhausted from the moment. As she tried to regain her breath she felt a cold sensation on her arse.. ‘What the fuck’ before realising he was just passing her a bottle of water from the side of the bed.

Screwing off the top and gulping it down, it was almost the best feeling in the world. Almost..

Ready for round two sir….

Nobody’s perfect

I hate that I let you down, and I feel so bad about it. I guess karma comes back around, cos now I’m the one that’s hurting.

Jessie J

This song randomly came on this week, and back in the day I listened to it alot. It’s been noted before that music touches your soul and creates memories. Sometimes the memories are good, often, not so good. It’s always the lyrics rather than the melody that cut deep when you’re feeling sad, and that makes sense. When you’re happy, you want to dance like no one’s watching. When you’re sad you simply want to curl up, be numb and let the world pass you by. When this song came on, I listened, I was mesmerised, in a glassy eyed daze and I just kept repeating it over and over and over. Every single word resonated deep inside me.

I’ve been thinking alot about Karma, social media is rife for people wishing Karma on those that have wronged them. One recent incident was someone who’d been hurt by their partner years ago. Their partner came home one day and said they’d connected with someone else and it was over. The ‘wronged’ person, years later had connected with someone that was already in the burgeoning steps of a relationship. Incredibly they were wishing that their new connection would choose them ahead of this person’s partner. Quite happily praying that this would be the universes way of paying it forward.

I mean that’s gross isn’t it? Wishing ill on someone you have never met, who you don’t even know, who has done precisely nothing to you. That’s not karma,  that’s just vile. Two wrongs definitely don’t make a right, and surely if the person you snatch is capable of doing that to be with you. They are capable of doing that to you?

Having read up on Karma, it’s more about getting back what you give. You send kindness to someone, anyone and at some point down the line, that kindness comes back to you. Not in a mirror form, not in the same way it was sent. It’s like yin and yang, it’s like the theory that every action has a reaction in a way. Everything you say,  everything you do, has a cause and effect. That being said, I was left disappointed recently. Something that I was looking forward to happening didn’t, I was hugely excited cos you know things like this don’t happen to me, (and I was right, they don’t). I’m sure this person never meant to cause any disappointment, I won’t say hurt because it really wasn’t. You can’t miss something you’ve never had. Ultimately, they owed me nothing, having never met. Things change and that’s when people can’t cope. Change scares alot of people, when something is planned or scheduled, alot of people don’t bank on needing a plan B, C or D. Thankfully, I can process things, one of my closest friends always is in awe of my ability to compartmentalise things. Once something is done, I accept it, box it up, and move on. There’s literally nothing to be gained over mourning or stressing about things you can’t change or influence.

Anyway, the more I replayed this event in my head, the more it reminded me of something I’d done to someone. The parallels were there for all to see, even the month it occurred was the same. As the lyrics from Jessie J chimed out

And I hate that I made you think that the trust we had is broken
So don’t tell me you can’t forgive me
‘Cause nobody’s perfect,

Jessie J

It is almost like this song was written for what I did. I connected with someone, didn’t believe it was going to go anywhere and just before we met I let her down. She did forgive me, and tried and tried to keep that connection, but ultimately it was just too hard. I guess that’s because it was a very real connection. That’s my only consolation from that mess. At the time, I was upset, but also kept convincing myself that we hadn’t met, we’d made no promises, we ultimately didn’t owe each other anything.

Fast forward to a similar event happening to me, and albeit it was a much smaller disappointment, and less had been invested in it, but ultimately it made me realise how badly I had treated someone. Everything for a reason and I guess this was my lesson.

Never underestimate the power of your words and actions on another person. You can lift them up and slam them down far more easily than you can ever imagine. Behind a screen it’s even worse because you know, you can’t see someones tears behind a screen.

It’s strange how the world operates, but just as I’d began to compute what I was dealing with, I saw an unusual message from someone I’ve known on and off for a while. Someone who lights up wherever she goes, someone who never ceases to make people smile. I reached out and checked in. The conversation flowed and I must have struck a chord because just like that, everything came out. It was like I’d undone the pressure cap and my word my heart ached. I completely forgot about my insignificant woes and listened intently to someone who was struggling so much. I had no idea, but why would I? Take a happy selfie, post a silly picture, tell a stupid joke (they are stupid mate) and everyone behind a screen smiles and laughs. Who’s making you laugh though?

Social media is a blessing and a curse, it can lift these lonely moments, on demand company from people who share the same interests. But, let your guard down and it can consume you, take over your life, so much so that you find yourself checking WhatsApp last seen, hoping upon hope that someone who doesn’t deserve you is okay. You become a social media version of yourself and when the screen lights up, it’s show time, put on your happy face and please your audience when inside you heart is shattering.

It’s okay not to be okay, Karma really doesn’t work as a mirror and I know my incident wasn’t karma, it was just a way of ending a connection that wasn’t necessary and leading me to a new one that absolutely was, for both of us.

Everything for a reason, no matter how hard it is and how many tears it causes. People that are meant to be there will be, and people that care will always step up, even when you don’t know you need them.

Swinging Bombs

Come out the corner, trade swinging bombs

Citylightz

Twelve months ago today, I didn’t even know the song ‘Swinging Bombs‘ existed and I’d never even heard of Citylightz in fact, even up to mid march when lockdown happened, they’d not even come on my radar. That’s understandable though, life was busy and I was on the periphery of new music, mainly focused on the scene in the north west.
I mean it’s not a bad place to be, being involved in gigs on Merseyside and Cheshire. There’s such a hotbed of talent in and around these areas, no doubt inspired by the likes of the Beatles, Cast, Oasis, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Joy Division and the Verve. I mean that’s a stellar line up of music that any area in the world would find it impossible to match, yet you can circle a small part of the UK and cover every single one of those bands and probably travel to each of their birthplaces within a couple of hours!
But enough about that, before I go on to the point of this blog, Citylightz have been around the block but in their current guise have only been around since 2018. Finally defining the rock and road sound, that has a touch of indie, a touch of rap and a touch of ska, the boys from the west midlands are certainly striking a chord with their fans, and are probably one of the most engaging bands you will ever see on social media.

So, what does Swinging Bombs mean to me. Well, with 2020 being the way it is, sometimes it feels like no matter how many things this year throws at you, you have to dust yourself off and get back up and come out all guns blazing once more.
My 2019 was shit, it started horrendously and didn’t really improve. I made a few little mistakes and they came back to haunt me tenfold. I won’t go into detail as it’s absolutely boring but needless to say, it changed how I was, how open I was, who I trusted and how I behaved to people. No more protecting peoples feelings, just the bluntness and honesty people deserve but sometimes don’t want.

Fast forward to 2020 and a new year began full of hope and anticipation. Days by the sea, someone that cared and stuck by me on a bumpy road, things were indeed looking up, but once again a gut punch. Just after St Patricks day, lockdown hit and brought the country to a standstill. Slowly but surely that connection faded and after a while, I was faced with the reality that my heart had already become accustomed to. I can’t say it was all lockdowns fault. I believe it was just bad timing, but even if it wasn’t, another lesson learned after a whirlwind couple of months. Remember, what’s meant for you, won’t pass you by.

Dust yourself off, pick yourself up, get back into it. No matter how many times 2020 has had me on the ropes, I’ve inevitably discovered who is in my corner. One by one, as people have drifted, others have stood up, pep talks, sustenance, new approaches, and a little bit of vaseline (steady) to mask over those wounds, NONE of which have cut deep. It’s amazing what a little confidence and belief can do for you. If you never get hit, you’ll never be tested. It’s okay to dodge a few jabs, but the true test is when you get that unexpected uppercut. Do your knees go and you fall to the floor, or do you stand tall and come back.

For me, as we approach the final 3 rounds of 2020, I can see the finish line, and the prize is right in front of my eyes, I can almost touch it. I’ve been gifted a golden opportunity, but the secret will be holding onto it until the final bell rings on 2020. So as of next week, this is where I come out fighting with my very own Swinging Bombs…

TBC..

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Chasing Rainbows

I could deny, but I’ll never realise, I’m just chasing rainbows all the time

Shed Seven – Chasing Rainbows

Following on from the ‘Better Man‘ post, I was listening to the Radio when Shed Seven’s ‘Chasing Rainbows’ came on. I have been lucky enough to see them perform a few times now and it still astounds me that they were never as big as they should have been. At Shedcember a couple of years ago at Castlefield Bowl this song literally gave me goosebumps.

So I just thought I’d give this song a go and see what words fell out of my mind, and knowing its Andie’s favourite song and some of the challenges she’s faced, I thought i’d write it with her in mind.

‘There’s things that I regret‘ chimes out the opening line.
What do you regret?

In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take

Lewis Carroll

I try not to regret anything, after all, we are where we are meant to be. I was absolutely certain I would end up living in Australia. If I did, I wouldn’t have 12 and I wouldn’t swap her for the world. I’d have probably had kids with someone else no doubt, but it wouldn’t be the same. I might be living a better life in a better climate or I might have been homesick and missing my family. There’s no point wondering though as I can’t change that now. It’s all about how you play the hand you’ve been dealt and to be honest, my life is just fine at the moment. I have a job, a roof over my head, food on the table, things to keep me busy in music, writing and rugby, plus great family and amazing friends, both real and virtual.
In fact, I took a chance a few weeks ago. Something I was hugely nervous about doing, but I did it, encouraged by the belief in me that people had helped instil. I know if I hadn’t, I’d have forever wondered and would have kicked myself had I left it too late. I guess this was my real chasing rainbows moment of 2020, and whilst the pot of gold isn’t quite in my grasp, it’s closer than it’s ever been. This stuff just never happens to me! It’s too early to judge if it was a success, but as for now, it paid off handsomely, and I genuinely couldn’t be more excited or happier about it, but maybe that’s a story to be told on another day.

Back to ‘Chasing rainbows’ though. What I wanted from life in my younger years has changed vastly. When you’re a kid, you want to be a footballer or an astronaut or a rock star. Fame, fortune and all the trappings appeal don’t they? As I got older, well, that really did change. When you ask people what they want to be or what they wanted to be, no one says ‘Happy’, or ‘Content’.

We always want things, I remember as a kid always wanting a new bike, or games console. Don’t get me wrong, although we didn’t have alot of money, I never wanted for anything. However, now I am older, the things I remember are the little things, drinking the froth off a Mackeson Stout out of my Grandmas vase like glass. My neighbour taking me on long walks with ‘Midge’ the German Shepherd and pointing out all of the constellations. It’s not the activities that made those things though, it’s the people. It wasn’t what I did, it was who I did it with. People full of love and kindness, who cared and wanted to make ME happy.
Just yesterday me and 12 took a trip to Blackpool and met Scott and Kay and the best part of the day was seeing how welcome they made my daughter. She will remember Blackpool, and the walk on the prom, and the rock and the keyrings that she was so kindly bought, but she will remember how interested they were as she regaled tales of Ariana Grande, and her pets to them. It truly warmed my heart to see how they were with her and I will be forever grateful. She is good company, but the ease at which she felt with them wasn’t a fluke.

So yes, Chasing Rainbows for me is all about finding your happiness, but surround yourself with the right people, and the rainbow chases you.