Will Life Begin At Fifty?

 

Hey there, I hope everyone is okay.

In a way I’ve sort of not been looking forward to ending this blog series, as it signifies the end of an era so to speak. 

I can no longer write my ramblings of a forty-something, because I will no longer be a forty-something! I will be fifty...

FIFTY!!!

How the hell did that happen? 

Back when I was a little kid, I probably thought that 30 was old, and yet here I am about to add another twenty years to that!

It’s a strange thing looking back, because there’s so much happened in that time, and yet so little at the same time!

We won’t go into one specific thing from my childhood, as those who need to know, do know about that, and it did indeed shape my life!

I did indeed go to naughty boy’s schools, because I was a little shit! I was a kid with huge mood swings, which I still do have to this day, but they’re not violent in any way, as they were back then! I try to control that with my own music, listening to other’s music, listening to podcasts, and now creating my own podcasts!

Luckily I am with the love of my life, and that is the greatest thing in the whole world. Me and Louise have known each other since 1991. Around the time of Freddie Mercury dying, she said she was sorry, because she knew they were my favourite band!

Work wise I did what I could!

Initially looking for work was difficult, because for a long time job application forms all asked “have you ever been tested for AIDS/HIV?”

Because of a long court case about school, I had been, and was informed by someone unofficially that that was why I wasn’t getting employed.

When I got a job at Savannah Rags in Mansfield, they didn’t seem to care...

I was 27 at that time, and lasted probably less than two years, before being fired for attacking a colleague while I was suffering from symptoms of medication I was on, where one of the side effects was potential depression - great for someone who suffers with mood swings!

When I started in security at the age of 29, it was as a favour to my brother, who worked in the industry at that time!

I started as cash in hand, and then about four weeks later I was legally employed after filling out an application form, with that question on there!

It was too late, as I had already proved my worth at the job! That question didn’t hold sway, and it was changed to “do you have AIDS or HIV?” by the time I filled another job application out five years later, at the age of 34...

Too late!

I reconciled that at that age it was too late to go into something else, and that it was too late to go back to college to get my GCSE qualifications. Even if I did, it would be pointless. The benefits system would have been on my back as well if I wasn’t in employment and was just doing part time courses in mathematics, English language, and English literature!

So, here I am approaching fifty, and I am still in the security industry!  2020, and Covid-19 has placed most of the world into a lockdown!

During the summer I was thinking about what I’ve done, and was any of it worthwhile? Yeah, I was seriously down!

I decided to try and do some things differently.  My new website (The Marv Zone) is still a work in progress, and my own podcast series Pods Like Us (available from all good streaming platforms) has a nice audience I think.

So, come on 50, show me the good shit!

Thank you for reading, and especially if you’ve been reading for ten years - poor you! 

Take care and stay safe.

November 25th 2020 (49 years, 11 months, and 30 days old).

A few weeks catch-up

Hey there everyone, I hope you’re all okay.

I should have known that it wouldn’t last with my daily blog posting...

So, what’s been going on since October the 12th?

In some ways it feels like a long while ago, but at the same time it doesn’t...

My podcast show has been up and running for a bit now, with episodes ten and eleven coming out this week - TTM Pods on Monday and Ant Short on Thursday.

A bit about the TTM episode is available in the section about the podcast on my Marv Zone website, and a write up about the episode with Ant will be available on Wednesday, before the episode becomes available following that at midnight (UK time).

Every episode will have a write-up!

I’ve not done anything with the Marv Zone website for a long time, and must get my arse in gear, especially if it’s going to have the plethora of Marvness that I was hoping to be there for my birthday on the 26th of November (looks at the date being November 8th and thinks “bloody hell, Marv!!!”)...

Wish me luck!

Anyway, that seems like a good catch-up!

Talk again soon hopefully. Take care.

Sunday November 8th 2020 (49 years, 11 months, and 13 days old).

Six Days Later, No Zombies Surprisingly

 

Hey there, I hope you’re all okay.

Yes, it’s really been six days since my last blog post! After all those posts in September, I’ve suddenly back turned into “Mr as and when”!

Most of the last six days has been spent with a mix of editing and working.  Editing has been tricky with my very misbehaving laptop switching off with no warning.  I’ve made the decision to buy a new computer at some point, and until then I’ll use Louise’s laptop to do bits on if my laptop plays up while I’m working on stuff.

The zoom calls I’m not sure of, because Louise’s laptop is weird in that it has no microphone slot, and the PC mic I have is a jack connection not a USB...  

That is until Thursday when I have a new headset coming. I did get an XLR to USB cable for my professional mics, but I’ve heard that they would need a separate amp for volume purposes. 

For now I’m thinking it’ll be easier to use the headset with headphones and mic on it, which seems like it should have better quality than the laptop mic that I bought in February for the When They Was Fab podcast appearance.

On Wednesday of last week I finally got my groove on and set up “publishing” of the first episode of my podcast show Pods Like Us, which was the first show recorded, with Robbie Robertson from Out Of The Blank. I’m not sure how to get details from all of the different providers with my show on, but I do know that I’ve had a review on iTunes, because I looked using my own iTunes account...

On Monday (yesterday) I put out episode two (also the second one recorded), which was with radio presenter Ben Burrell, who also presents the podcast shows Bob Dylan Album By Album, and Long Player.

Now initially the second episode going out when the episode with Ben was released was originally intended to be a talk with someone from the ironically named Marvcat Media, who have an event called Podcast Day Online arranged for October 26th. The intention was to record it, and get the show out two weeks before the event.

After that chat fell through last week because they lost track of time and forgot, it was arranged for yesterday (Monday) afternoon as being sometime between 2pm and 5pm, which would go out three days later. I woke up early from my night shift for this, only to find an apology email waiting for me as they forgot the person I was meant to be talking with had booked the week off, and that they’ll see about arranging someone else to speak with me later in the week.  That’s where we are with that! 

Luckily I have shows ready to go out, so that’s not too tricky.

I also have two shows at least that I’m recording during these two nights off from work!  That will then give me seven pre-recorded shows as well as the two previously released shows!

There is the possibility of another this week, but that one depends on whether we’re going somewhere tomorrow (Wednesday) when locally we’re getting placed into what’s called “tier two” Covid lockdown!

The episode with me on Robbie’s show Out Of The Blank went out on Sunday I think it was. If you’re religious, then avoid it for a comment I make in that show! 

Now here I am about to get the laptop out to continue editing an episode with the guys from 2 Legs. Wish me luck! 

Thank you for reading, and please take care.

October 13th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 17 days old).

Other links: https://www.linktr.ee/marvsmooth https://www.themarvzone.org/pods-like-is-show 

Eddie Van Halen RIP

February 1983...

I turned 12 at the end of November 1982.  It's weird being born so late in the year, because you're a year behind others of your age, and when people ask me how old I was in such and such a year, I really don't know what to answer!

Eddie with Michael Jackson

Beat It by Michael Jackson was released on Valentines Day, February the 14th, and made a huge difference to the music world.  It made a big difference to me as well!

At the time, I was still very much forming what would become my varied taste in music!  I had been brought up with the music of The Beatles, and the solo careers of them, mostly Paul.  I even remember seeing the news about the death of John Lennon as a recently turned 10 year old in December of 1980!

Steve Lukather & Eddie

More music was added to my personal musical soundscape by this point, mostly through the influence of kids that I was at school with at Broughton House School (for naughty boys) in Brant  Broughton, Lincolnshire (LN5 OSL - I still remember the postcode, because I would write letters to my mum maybe twice a week).

Eddie & Brian May for
the Star Fleet Project

They introduced me to artists such as Iron Maiden, KISS, Meat Loaf, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.  They had so much more music in their arsenal than I had!  I had seen Top Of The Pops on the television, and remember liking songs by acts such as Blondie, Adam & The Ants, Ian Dury & The Blockheads...  I didn't actually buy my very first single record until Take It Away by Paul McCartney later in 1982, with my copy of Coming Up being bought for me.  I also purchased my very first album in 1982 as well, with the accompanying album to that single, Tug Of War.

David Lee Roth & Eddie

Anyway, we were sat watching Top Of The Pops at school, and suddenly a music video came on - Beat It by Michael Jackson.  The musical backing of Toto behind that really powerful vocal by Michael, and those backing vocals, set to a very powerful almost West Side Story/Romeo & Juliet style story video, and then suddenly *knock knock knock knock*, the roller shutter door goes up on a warehouse, and I was introduced to that iconic guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, and iconic it is!

Sammy Hagar, Michael
Anthony, and Eddie

Years later after leaving school, I was upping my record, tape collection, and as soon as I hear the debut album by Van Halen, that was something incredibly special.  From the opening Running With The Devil all the way to the closing track On Fire, I think that this is very much a contender for the greatest debut album of all time!  That's got stiff competition, but straight from the gate, so to speak, their debut album says absolutely everything that you need to know.

Tony Iommi and Eddie

With the instrumental piece Eruption, Eddie Van Halen changed the world of rock guitar.  Even though other guitarists had already utilized the guitar tapping technique, Eddie took it and made it into something incredible an game changing!

Steve Vai & Eddie

Incredibly original, with a gift for the unexpected, his guitar playing over the years has influenced so many, including my own guitar playing.  I use guitar tapping in my playing because of him (and Steve Hackett, who I found out years later had used guitar tapping on some early Genesis songs, as did Brian May on the odd Queen song), and his playing has always been something that, to me, said more than a lot of lyricists could say with words!

Rest in peace Eddie, you made a difference, and we will always love you.

September 6th 2020.

A Long One - grab your tea and biscuits

Hey there. I hope you're all okay.

This is a first since the beginning of September, where it's my first post in three days. I know, right!!!  I think the last time that I posted anything was on Saturday, so what's been going on?  Hmm... 

Sunday was more going through the show recordings and looking at bits that stick out (glitches, mess ups, etc), and editing here and there.  I know that a few people have told me not to sweat it, but I just want it to be good.  I don't want the errors caused by my being a newbie, nervous and my respectful admiration.  All of these people actually are podcasters themselves, and they do it all of the time.  I am just starting out on the adventure, and some of these people actually do it for a living.  I'll probably have the same thing in the future when I talk with more people.

I feel like such an idiot when I react this way, because I find myself saying internally "you idiot, just talk with them, it's fine!"  However, that's not how it turns out.  Instead I become a wreck of a person, with my laptop on my knees, shaking with my left leg going ten to the dozen with nervous anxiety.  Man, when I talked with Sean O'Connell of Reelblend last Wednesday evening, even the neighbours downstairs could hear my leg going!  When that chat was over, I had to have a drink to calm my nerves, and wish that I had done that...  In fact, that might be a rare case where somewhere in the recording I change my dialogue, because Sean said something that made me lost for words, and I responded in a very stiff upper lip way, because I just didn't know what to say.  It was such a nice thing that he said, and it caught me unawares!  However, straight after the recording of the show I was calling myself all of the names under the sun, because of it.

It would be like if I ever met Paul McCartney face to face for a chat and all I said was "I like your music" - understatement much!

Random photo of a very large moth
on a door panel on Monday night.

Anyway, after that I went to work, when I had a couple of alarm responses, one sort of distant and one very close (I was actually at the end of the street it was on when the call came, which was useful).

Monday I got in a little later than intended, and got to sleep at about half past six/quarter to seven, something like that.  I then woke up at midday, because I was taking part in Robbie Robertson's stream of conscious show Out Of The Blank, which I had been looking forward to.  The guy had been waiting for me to be a guest for months literally, and it was so much fun, even in a bit where I was stumped!  Do you ever moments where you look back at things and think "why did you respond that way"?  Well, that was one of those.  Robbie asked something along the lines of who would I want to have a conversation with alive or dead, and after what seemed like years, but obviously wasn't, I came up with George Gershwin and Ludwig Van Beethoven.  Looking back now I know that in my mind I'm thinking of Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, Freddie Mercury, John Lennon.

If I could talk with John Lennon, then I think that I would try to work out who the real John Lennon was, but then I don't even know if that would be possible in that fictional situation.  It always seems to me that he was an expert at taking control of a situation, possibly even more so than Paul McCartney!

I'm sorry, but I'm digressing there! Needless to say that now I can think of so many more people that would be in that list!  Hindsight is a wonderful thing...

That is actually, to me, a funny section of the show, because Jesus comes into there from Robbie asking about talking with Jesus, and I'm not going any further into this because it will both spoil it, and I might be condemned for blasphemy!

After that I couldn't get any more sleep for work, which is normal really.  Once I'm awake, I am awake, and can't get back to sleep.

I did a bit more editing on shows, with the first two recorded shows being basically ready for distribution.  I need to get a specific software download which will essentially master the show to make it sound (marv)smooth!  <- See what I did there?  I know, cheesy right!

I went to work later, and it was a busy one!  There were a few alarm activations, which makes it more interesting in a way, because the constant rotation of going from site to site and doing the checks so many times in the night can get a little bit repetitive, so this sort of thing can make it more interesting, because it's sometimes random where the incidents happen.  Thankfully, most of the time a lot of these things isn't actually a crime taking place, but you mustn't get complacent about that!  It could be an incident taking place, and then you need to be alert and not be thinking that it's nothing!

The shift finished, and I left work at 8am.  I've not really done much today.  Tired.  That's life!

Random photo of a snail on a site
while walking ‘round on Sunday night

I was hoping to be able to record another show or two today, and there are interested parties that I'm just waiting for date and time suggestions for, including a media group organizing an actual international online event all about podcasting, who I sent my bullet point outline to after they responded on Monday, and am now awaiting their response.  It's back and forth where they will look and see if there is anything missing or that could be changed about my bullet points, much as I have done with the podcast show presenters previously.

However, because that is supposed an event taking place towards the end of October, I really want to get the episode recorded, so that I can have plenty of time to edit it, and have it ready for the Monday before the event (it needs to be ready for it to come out on Monday the 19th of October before the event itself takes place the following Monday.  In fact, I'd like to try to get it out sooner to get it better publicized, but I may not have the time to edit it...

Random photo of a very young toad on a site
while walking around on Saturday night

I ust to explain, and pull the curtain back as they say...

Okay, so the recordings are done using zoom, and we have a conversation hitting the bullet points therein, even with me during the show introduction and outro.  Then, hopefully seamlessly, I'll ask the people involved if they think that anything was missed that needs to be in the show, and we will carry on recording for those bits.  After all of this we say our farewells, and I will have the job of putting the show together, and hopefully fitting those edits in where they would seem to fit into an appropriate place!

Anyway, I think I will leave this where we are, because it's quite some length at present.

Thank you for reading, please take care.

October 6th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 10 days old).

PS - https://themarvzone.org/pods-like-us-show/

Quick catch-up

Hi there, I hope you’re okay. Just a quick catch-up this time...

Did a little more editing and cleaning up recordings, in readiness for hopefully hitting an October 11th start for Pods Like Us...

I’ve come up with some music ideas on guitar (acoustic, electric & bass).

Now back on a night shift at work after those five nights off, and listening to podcasts myself.

Life continues...

Thank you for reading, please take care.

October 3rd 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 7 days old)

Editing Starts

 

Hey there. I hope you’re all okay. 

Yesterday (October 1st) was Louise’s birthday then, but it didn’t stop me from doing some show editing.

Both of the first two chats (Robbie & Ben) are almost there, but the others I’ve basically started on by placing the intro and outro themes in, and then placed the zoom call chats in between. The show with Robbie will be different to the others at the end because firstly it doesn’t include a thank you to the listeners, and secondly it doesn’t feature a post show extra.

What I mean by post show extra is that there are bits where, because I start the chats before the show itself starts, and sometimes carried on recording after the actual show bit, we’re just chatting about anything, and putting a little bit from each after the show is probably more for me personally, as it makes me happy that we’re having a good chat. These people have become friends after all!

There is a post show snippet from my chat with Sean of Reelblend, because even though we were limited for time, he still gave me about ten minutes more to make sure that everything was there, and to thank me for listening to their show, which was a moment!

Listening back to the shows, I can actually hear my confidence growing.  More editing to do, and I’m going to record more shows soon as well. I’m coming out of my shell.

Oh, I almost forgot... My editing skills will have to be utilised in the chat with Tom & Andy of 2 Legs, because listening back to a bit of it, I’ve noticed that Andy is much louder than both me and Tom put together. Unfortunately, even though Zoom can apparently give me individual sound recordings, I haven’t worked out how to get it to do that. So, that will be interesting. Just a single audio file of all three of us chatting then.

I also need to eventually replace my laptop as well, because it is old and gets overheated, so sometimes it just switches off at the most inopportune time, and I’ve tried everything, including trying a new fan, but none of that worked.

I have found out that at a push, Zoom still does record shows that are hosted from phones though, so that’s a fall back, because when Robbie hosted the first show for me, I was using my phone then!

Thank you for reading, please take care.

October 2nd 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 6 days old).

PS - listening back to that first chat, with Robbie, makes me laugh and smile. I don’t like the word “interview” in the show’s context, but prefer “conversation” or “chat”. Even “discussion“ is a nice word. 

Adventures In Podcast Land

 

Hey there everyone, I hope you’re all okay.

So, I got through all of the first batch of shows being recorded, and hopefully did a good job, despite my constant nerves.  I will add that I think I got better as the discussions went on.  

It’s a strange thing in a way, because technically I am talking with people who actually have experience with talking to people. That in itself creates a strange dichotomy where I am both nervous because they are experienced and talking to me as very much a beginner, but yet there is also the comfort in a way that I can rely on that experience and knowledge to enable them to know instinctively what to say and how to ease the situation for me.

Now I know that technically it is my show, but it’s also a show about introducing people to podcasts, in the hope that a connection is made. I don’t expect hundreds or thousands of people to suddenly listen to these shows, but in this day and age podcasts seem to be something that people are getting interested in listening to even more than before, possibly as a comfort in one way, but also as an alternative to what has become a pretty standard and, for the most part, corporate led radio industry. 

I actually believe that there is something for most people in the world of podcasts, and that is from someone who, as 2 Legs co-host Andy Nicholes says, someone who “listens to a lot of podcasts!”  

I will say though that there are still things that need to be made easier, and the chief one that jumps out to me is the whole music rights issue.  If that was less of a minefield, then there could be some really interesting shows out there.

If podcast distributors had an option for covering this, even if that includes a little extra charge to cover a music rights payment, then there could be more interesting shows playing music, and they could be music that radio stations don’t play with their generally chart led playlists.

Personally I’ve loved shows like Bob Dylan Album By Album and Take It Away: The Complete Paul McCartney Archive, where they discuss these artists‘ music, whilst playing clips from the music that they’re talking about. Then there is the show The Strange Brew, where presenter Jason Barnard chats with musicians and writers about their careers, and plays songs from their careers.

These shows are all produced because of the presenters arranging and paying for the use of these songs in their shows, which I would guess isn’t an easy thing to sort out and, to be honest, these people don’t make money from these shows, unlike radio stations, so are paying from their own pockets to promote music for that industry, with nothing coming back to them.

An alternative to this is with something like my friends‘ Paul & Tony produce, where the music they play is mostly independent or unsigned acts, and therein doesn’t require them to pay out for rights.

Personally, I like the idea of having a show that isn’t split up for advertising to be placed, and then I would make money from those advertisers. That breaks up the flow of the programme to my mind, and sometimes the presenters of the shows don’t even let you know they’re going to adverts, and I’ve even had moments in shows where the editors have gone to adverts half way through someone talking, and then returned minutes later with the rest of what they’re saying!

Anyway, that’s seven shows recorded, and others are being arranged, as well as offshoot ideas, and other show formats coming to mind, possibly including “Sam & Marv Talk About Anything” and one I’m presently thinking of that I’ve given the working (but not final) title of The Old Bull Farm Posse, because it would feature my younger brother and his friends that have stayed close friends since they were at Bull Farm school in the nineties!

So, I’ve got the bug for creating more shows, and know that I’ll get better, and I’m thankful to everyone who has taken part, as well as those who have helped and supported me.

Luckily, everyone I’ve talked with in the show is really nice - Robbie from Out Of The Blank, Ben from both Bob Dylan Album By Album & Long Player, Sam from Paul Or Nothing, Jason from Strange Brew, Tom & Andy from 2 Legs, Antony from Glass Onion, and last, but certainly not least, Sean from Reelblend.

There are a number of moments that will stay with me, including the friendships garnered with these people, how grateful they have been (as well as I am to them).

The friendly rapport when I was talking with Sam from Paul Or Nothing, including laughter, and it was exactly the same with Tom & Andy from 2 Legs! Those I think are true friendships, as I have with everyone else, and others I have yet to talk with.

When Sean from Reelblend told me that it always made him smile when he saw that I’d posted up online about listening to their show, and thanked me for being there from episode one, that really meant so much to me!

I’ve already started on the editing of the shows, and have other people already booked to record shows with, as well as others who are getting back to me with dates and times.

Anyway, these shows will be released in the order that they were recorded, so that people can see me hopefully getting more confident and less flummoxed (lol).

Thank you for reading, please take care.

It’s my sweetheart Louise’s birthday today, and I’m not going to say her age, as to me she is the same 21 year old that I fell in love with a, ahem, few years ago! <3

October 1st 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 5 days old).

Four sessions in one day

 

Hi there, I hope you’re okay.

A bit late with this one, but it’s been a busy one...

After a misunderstanding over when the recording for the show with the 2 Legs guys on Monday the 28th of September, it got switched to Tuesday night at midnight instead, changing it from my second show to my fifth show.

I stayed up far too late Monday night into Tuesday morning, going to bed after 6am, and waking up at 10 o’clock, when I made drinks and took them to the bedroom for me and Louise to drink while listening to the popmaster quiz on Ken Bruce’s show on BBC Radio 2. 

After this I got up and started readying myself for a chat with Ben Burrell, presenter for Absolute Radio (and Absolute 90’s) and host for the podcast shows Bob Dylan: Album By Album and Long Player.

Having two or three word points is easier than all out scripted questions, and I felt like I could just get into the conversation.

That chat started around 11:30, and went really well, as did the 3pm chat with Sam Whiles about Paul Or Nothing, 8pm with Jason Barnard, and finally (but not least) 2 Legs at 12:30.

After this I was shattered.

Lots of editing needed, and two full shows to record with Antony of Glass Onion and Sean of Reelblend on Wednesday so far! 

Busy busy day.

Thank you for reading, please take care.

September 29th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 3 days).

Films rescheduling

Hey there.

I’m trying to grab a couple of hours nap, but the nervousness and excitement isn’t helping.

So, while I can’t sleep I thought that I would quickly write my thoughts about something...

There are people who are mentioning about films and television shows that they are having to wait for because of the Covid-19 virus. 

Now, I get where you’re coming from, because there are films and TV shows that I’ve looked forward to, and haven’t seen.  I’m a huge fan of “superhero films”, which goes back to me seeing the first Superman film in the cinema when I was... *searches internet* ...eight years old (it was released in the UK on December 13th 1978, 17 days after my 8th birthday).

The thing is that not everyone feels safe going to the cinema, and there are restrictions in place over how many can go in at a time! That’s their prerogative, and I understand that. I’m not actually sure how I feel to be honest, and I’ve always loved seeing films at a cinema!

Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet was released and, to be honest, I think it did well under the circumstances.  The way that things are, you have to look at cinema numbers in respect to the current climate, and no huge budget film is going to make a profit with things the way they are! To expect differently is to be moronic I thin. 

Now other films are back to rescheduling their releases, because they want that profit margin.

What does it matter? In the end they’re films, and you will get to see them!

Take care and stay safe!

September 28th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 2 days old).

Five Days Ahead

 

I don’t know why this photo is
mirrored, when I didn’t take it in 
a mirror!

Hi there, I hope you’re all okay.

Here I am back at home after the last night shift before my five days I’ve booked to have off...

It’s a nice thought to have five days rest, but I’m not sure it’ll all be that restful, but it will be fun.... Nervous fun!

Today I have a show to record at midnight, three to record on Tuesday, and 2 on Wednesday, and that’s for the time being.  There may be more!

I’m nervous because I felt that I could have been better with the first show recorded last week, where I seem to have been so bothered about the list of questions on my sheet, that I missed bits I should have responded to.

If truth be told, I’m constantly trying to force myself to chat with people, because my job is solitary, where I sit in a van on my own for a minimum of twelve and a half hours a night, five nights a week, with my own company. I converse with very few people, and seem to be becoming even more insular from the COVID-19 restrictions.

I used to be incredibly shy and almost paranoid (which is why Andrea at Bandwagon Recording Studios named me Marv, as in Marvin the paranoid android from A Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy)...  I forced myself to talk to more people, and in the process built up confidence.

To a degree I am still shy around new people, and get extremely nervous.  I think that doing this show will hopefully make me better with people.

I look forward to speaking with Tom & Andy tonight, and have some ideas that include trying to remember what points I want to put across.

Thank you for reading, please take care.

September 28th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 2 days old).

Quick end of shift

 

Hey there, I hope you’re all okay.

That was a relatively easy going shift, but with a fair few work phone calls (through a Bluetooth ear piece of course).

A few, but not a lot, of podcasts we’re listened to.  I need to get more listened to, because after Sunday’s night shift, I am off for five days during which I’ll be recording six more shows so far! One late on Monday, three on Tuesday, and 2 more on Wednesday. Busy!

I hope it’s like easy going again for Sunday, and then I can get at least most of my regular podcast listening out of the way!

I did think overnight that not being much of a more populist sports fan! I like watching snooker, rallying, x-fighter motorcycling, snowboarding, skateboarding, and baseball, but not as a fan! 

Because of this I don’t really listen to sports podcasts, so don’t even know any sports podcasts, never mind organise any for shows, but I know that I should!

If anyone has suggestions for shows to contact, then please let me know for the future.

Thank you, and please take care.

September 27th (7am) 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and one day old).

Friday’s Feelings Of Meh

 

Hey there everyone, I hope you’re okay.

Here we are on Friday the 25th of September 2020; a year that will be spoken about during history lessons in classrooms of the future.

As I’ve said on my social networks before, everybody has been affected by the COVID-19 virus in one way or another, and we will get through it all! There is light there...

Anyway, I was a bit lazy today.  I finished work late, and got home for somewhere between twenty to and a quarter to nine in the morning from work. I did drift off to sleep, but then woke again probably around twenty minutes later, and then slept properly from around ten until two o’clock.

Yes, around four hours all told - a normal Friday for me!

There were things to do before starting work at five.  Truth be told I keep thinking that under different circumstances I’d say “sod this for a game of soldiers!” However, that’s silly talk, because we have to do something, eh!

A jackpot win on the lottery, and I’d be setting it up to give myself an annual wage for doing nothing! Why the hell not?!?!?! 

Lazy arse that I am, I just got one set of notes written out and sent today, which was to Sam at Paul Or Nothing, who seems pleased with them.  I’m glad.

When I initially thought of this show, I was thinking of it as an extension to my posting up the shows that I’m listening to, in the hope that people would see something they might like and try it out, because some people need these things.  

I don’t expect to get millions more listeners for these shows, but if a few people find a show that connects with them through this, then that’s great!

Anyway, I then went to work.

Thank you for reading, please take care.

September 25th 2020 (49 years, 9 months, and 30 days old).

Just Another Thursday

 

Hi there.

Another very quick few minutes to do a post!

It’s a Thursday, so it’s a weird day...  It’s always first shift back each, and that’s a night shift of course, which is what I always work!

I posted some bullet point notes to most of the people I will be talking to for the podcast recordings next week, and got great responses from three is the five I contacted (I’ll get notes out to Sam of Paul Or Nothing and to Norman & John of Mission Log on Saturday at the latest). The other two I contacted haven’t responded yet...

They’re either busy or thinking “who is this newbie amateur?”!!!

Hopefully they’re busy!

I also decided that after a couple of days after a card was left by the Postie (I don’t know if their name is Pat), I decided to go the postal sorting office that said on the card that it closes at 6pm.

After a long winded walk there, because one way you could have got there before is now blocked by gated private housing estate, I arrived at the sorting office for 3:34pm, to find a sign on the door saying “because of staff shortages, we’ve had to close at 3:30pm”!

Yes, they closed four minutes before I got there!

Will they do the same on Friday? Is it worth me getting out of bed early to find out? 

I understand that these are strange times and all that, but I’m sure that someone there would have been happy to do an extra two and a half hours to make sure that that essential service is provided.

I’ll tell you what...  I bet people would be pissed off if I suddenly decided that I’d finish two and a half hours early saying “sod opening your business up or responding to your alarms, I’m finishing early!”

You’re called the Royal Mail, but we can tell that you’ve been privatised!  Lower standards you see...

Anyway, I ended up going to work, and here I am, with the intent of doing my full hours, and potentially (but hopefully) not more!

Thank you for reading. Please take care.

September 24th 2020 (49 years, 9 months, and 29 days! 

Joyful Nervousness

 

Hey there everyone. I hope you’re all okay.

Well, I was going to post about something different to my podcasting preparation today, but it’s what today has been all about!

I spent most of the day carrying on with preparing the guide notes for episodes, finally finishing the first drafts for the eight shows that will make up season one. I was so pleased that I had got that done after over a week of fitting it in when I could.

After posting up online that the first drafts were finished and I was preparing to start editing and cleaning up them for people who have asked for my notes so that they can prepare, Robbie from the show Out Of The Blank messaged me to say that even though he works more from stream of conscious discussions on his show, that he could help if there’s anything I’ve missed.

I sent him a copy of my show notes for when I was intending on recording a show with him, and after what felt like less thirty seconds he said “good start. How about recording it now?”

BOOM!

With Robbie using his zoom account to host, about an hour and twenty minutes later, we had finished the show’s recording, which was an experience!

We started with chatting for a few minutes before recording started, to work out what we were doing...

Before I carry on, I’ll add a bit of perspective to this;

For a while now, me and Robbie have chatted occasionally about me possibly being a guest on his show, which I think is a great show. Before now my internet wasn’t great, because earlier in the year I guested on the show When They Was Fab, there were connection issues and terrible lag!

Because of mine and Robbie’s times clashing, we just never were able to get together online, and when I started looking into starting my own podcast, Robbie was one of those that I went to ask to be a part of it, and he was immediately on my side, helping me to prepare for it.

Luckily I’ve made friends with podcasters who have my back, and are being really helpful. Those people include Tom Hunyady (2 Legs/Talk More Talk), Andy Nicholes (2 Legs), Ed Chen (When They Was Fab), Kit O’Toole (Talk More Talk), Ken Michaels (Talk More Talk), Paul B Edwards (Punky Radio), Ken Womack (Talk More Talk), Jason Barnard (The Strange Brew), Antony Rotunno (Glass Onion), Sam Whiles (Paul Or Nothing), Ben Burrell (Bob Dylan Album By Album/Long Player, and presenter for Absolute Radio), and Sean O’Connell (Reelblend, and MD for Cinemablend).

Anyway...

So, about an hour and twenty minutes later we had the show recording wrapped, and it was fun!  Maybe once or twice we went “out of the show“ so to speak to discuss how it was going, but for the most part it flowed really well.

As Robbie said in the show “I popped your podcasting cherry!”

Yes you did, thank you mate. I love how after a couple of minutes it just became pure conversation! All of the points were hit, but in a conversational way.

I just wish that when Robbie from nowhere asked what’s my go to snack that I had mentioned something that Louise made at home as opposed to a Starbar, which I then got wrong with the explanation. It’s actually like a Snickers with biscuit in there, and smoother. I said it was fruit and nuts in chocolate, which would actually explain a Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut.

In actual truth, I prefer the Reeses Nutrageous Bar, and Reeses Cups! 

What a cool experience though!

Thank you everyone. Take care and stay safe out there.

September 23rd 2020 (49 years, 9 months, and 28 days old).

More podcast preproduction

 

Hey there, I hope you’re all okay.

My first day/night off started with me finishing work an hour later in morning, and getting home at about ten past nine. 

I got to bed at about a quarter to ten, setting my alarm for midday, but slept through to a little after two o’clock in the afternoon, when I got up and made cups of tea for me and Louise.

I carried on immediately with writing out my notes for recording podcast shows next week.

I’d started out the day with having already written my first draft for three shows, and since then have written drafts for two more.  Now I’m about to go back to carrying on writing a sixth set of notes.

Tomorrow I’ll have a first draft for all eight, which I’ll then edit and rewrite, and email some of the guests who have asked for me to send them my guide questions and general structure.

I’m sorry if this sounds boring, but it’s what I’m doing at the moment!

Right, break done, I had better get on...

I’m sorry to anyone not interested in this podcast thing. I’ll be chatting about other stuff soon!

Thank you, please take care.

Oh, I almost forgot, I was posted myself up as a month old than I am!

September 22 2020 (49 years, 9 months, and 27 days old)

Four hours in the life of

 

Hey there, I hope you’re all okay.

Today was better than it has been for a while...

I got in from work at around a quarter to seven in the morning, after a relatively relaxed shift (for me). However, it was probably nine in the morning or so before I got to sleep.

When I woke up I saw that it was about a quarter past two and thought “that’s enough sleeping, get up and get some stuff done you lazy arse!” <- yes, I’m English, so I do indeed say “arse”!  That’s among words that people in other English speaking don’t use, alongside words such as “natter” (chatting/talking), “ginger beer” (root beer), “biscuits” (cookies), “trousers” (pants), “chips” (fries), “crisps” (chips), “scones” (biscuits)...

After seeing messages on a Facebook chat from the lovely podcast community of friends that I’ve made, I’ve decided to go with the title Pods Like Us for the Podcast!  My close podcast friends include (now don’t miss anyone) Paul (Punky Radio), Tom (2 Legs/Talk More Talk), Andy (2 Legs), Kit (Talk More Talk), Ken M (Things We Said Today/Talk More Talk), Ken W (Talk More Talk), Ed (When They Was Fab), Lonnie (When They Was Fab), Sam (Paul Or Nothing), Antony (Glass Onion), and Jason (Strange Brew).

Yes it is a pun on the Paul McCartney theme song Spies Like Us, but it fits the format!  I’m one of those rare Macca fans that like that song. I remember it coming out, and buying the single on 12” and shaped picture disc. Unfortunately I sold those, but have since got hold of another copy of the 12” single!

There’s a very funky chat show style opening theme that I actually recorded about four years ago, and I’m thinking up what to end the show with.

I carried on writing my show notes in readiness for next week, and plan on hopefully having them all finished during my Tuesday & Wednesday off.  

Now, hi ho hi ho it’s off to work I go! 

Thank you for reading, please take care.

September 21 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 26 days old).

Podcast Announcement

 

Hello. I hope you’re okay.

Just a very quick note really, as time is difficult again.

Today I announced on Facebook that I’m starting a podcast of my own for the first time, and I’m having trouble coming up with a title.

The initial format is a show where I talk to podcasters about their shows, because of my love for podcasts, and I have over a little while organised eight shows for recording that starts recording very soon. 

After that I’ll edit and mix each, so that all of the episodes are ready and can be released every one or two weeks.

Sorry, that’s all and not much I know.

Thank you for reading, and please take care.

September 20th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 25 days old) 

Vague Update

 

Hey there! I hope this finds you all okay.

Another day, another shift...

The epiphanic continues...

Work on The Marv Zone has slowed down recently, so that I can put time into another part of the plan.  I will just say for now that I’ve had talks with a lot of people, including a representative from Marvel, and I will let people know once I know it’s going to work out!

Today’s been tricky finding time to write a more thorough blog post, so I’ll just leave it like this.

I know that people have my back, and I’m glad for that.  All I can say is that my nerves are shot, and hopefully after a few interviews for this project, it’ll work out and I’ll get more comfortable.

Thank you for reading, and I’m sorry for the vagueness (other than the select few that I’ve shared it with for moral support reasons).

September 19th 2020

The Walk Home

 

Hi. I hope you’re all okay.

Here I am walking home from a night shift, and being such a doofus I don’t have my headphones, so it’s the sound of an industrial estate for half of the journey, and a main road for the other half...

A little bit of beautiful birdsong, but unfortunately drowned out for the most part by cars, vans, lorries, machinery, and motorbikes.

The constant cacophony of all of the slightly more distant sounds merged to create a loud white noise, while I look around to see so many closed down signs from some of the premises where noise isn’t stemming from.

I also see metal fences, wire fences, metal clad buildings, and glass windows a plenty.

Some old brick factories still exist, which are just sad reminders of the industries that once were, now replaced by fly by night business ideas, all made the more flimsy by the current world state.

As I step off the estate, up a staircase to a bridge on the main road, it’s now a constant flow of traffic, where some of the previously mentioned cacophony possibly originated?

A retail park is across the road, showing a reason for the downturn of town centres and city centres.  

Train station to the left.  I’ve been on a few trains from there before... I used to like train journeys! Looking out of the window, imagining those people’s lives, seeing the scenery... 

The cows, horses, and sheep in the fields. Trees, crops, flowers, tractors, ploughs, hay bales, combine harvesters....

Not here though!

Just cars, vans, lorries, noise... 

There’s wasteland to the right now, and the “not open until 8am” vehicle parts place to the left. 

A garage to the left now who have a Mini I’m waiting to find out the price for! It needs work doing to it first.

Just five more minutes, and then home to the love of my life.

I’ll just keep walking.

Thank you for reading. Take care.

September 18th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 23 days old)

Second day or night off

 

Hey there!

So, yesterday was my second day (or night) off of two...

I stayed up late again on the first night off (or early depending on your point of view), finishing the Netflix series Away, and watching other bits (we’ve caught up with three episodes of The Secret Life Of The Zoo for example).

I think it was around seven or eight on Wednesday morning when I went to bed, and woke up around two in the afternoon, reading until around five in the afternoon with the radio on in the background, and then I wrote that day’s blog post.

After a little bit of watching tv with Louise, I wrote and recorded a new instrumental song called Spanish Horses, starting with an arpeggio on acoustic guitar in the bedroom, and then deciding to move into the shared stairwell to record other instrumentation that included more guitar playing, tapping of guitar, finger snaps, and hand clapping. The natural reverb in there is absolutely beautiful! 

After that Louise made some lovely healthy wraps that included tinned sardines, orange pepper, pink pickled onions, crushed avocado, and a delicious homemade salsa sauce.

After this I had a video chat about with my good friend, the podcaster Tom Hunyady, co-presenter of both 2 Legs & Talk More Talk.  I didn’t realise it was going to be a video chat, so poor Tom’s first image was of my left ear!  

I’ll tell you, if I’d known it was going to be a video chat, then I might have pulled out the fake background of the beach view, lol! 

The chat continued later in the night with Tom, as well as his 2 Legs co-presenter Andy Nicholes, and Talk More Talk co-presenter/author Kit O’Toole. 

Really nice people!

As were the podcast presenters Sean O’Connell (Reelblend, and managing director of entertainments news group Cinemablend) & Ryan Penagos (This Week In Marvel), who I also talked with tonight!

A lot of the time the tv had stuff on in the background while I was typing out messages to these people (but not in video chats,  because that would be rude)!

Flipping heck, is that the time?!?!?!  Get to bed, Marv!

Thank you for reading, please take care and stay safe.

September 17th 2020 (49 years, 10 months, and 22 days old)