Misadventures in Edinburgh

Safely back in Old Blighty (Leeds) for what it’s worth. Living with the housemate from hell is doing my head in (I am not exaggerating, quite the reverse you wouldn’t believe how off the wall he is… does anyone?).

Anyway, greatly grateful to Gwen and her housemates for giving me a wonderfully therapeutic break. So, very low in energy, I set off a bit too late. Got to Wetherby about 4 if I remember rightly. There were no severe weather warnings so thought I should try and chance it at hitch hiking. Besides, my current account is running on empty alas….

Not quite sure when and what I txted Gwen. Basically that I was hitch hiking after all. Got a reply

“Ok you crazy crazy man.”

Which about sums it up.

There are road works at Wetherby. Where the Leeds Road joins the Great South Road. Couldn’t find a convenient place to try and hitch hike onto the Great South Road going north found myself at the junction for the local road from Wetherby onto the Great South. Decided to chance it stuck my thumb out and within 5 mins someone stopped. Got a lift to Scotch Corner, turns out it was a chap who worked in social housing but lived Catterick way, he’d married a local when he was in the Army.

Stuck my thumb out, after a lack of success wandered up to the service station to spend a penny and get a caffeine fix. Got offered a lift to Washington Services. Chap heading Sunderland way, ex artic driver, now working distributing cans of coke, donated me a couple of cans and a couple of bottles of doctor pepper! Said he wondered why people did not club together and go to cash and carries especially people with families. Interesting idea.

Now increasingly the Great South seems to be the worse of both worlds. Parts of it are under motorway regulations so you can’t hitch hike it, and Washington is a very slow service sation. You would never think that this was the main road into Edinburgh. Or into The Toon.

So, would have continued but since number of vehicles leaving was less than 2 an hour, tried to relax. Dared not try and sleep alfresco, was getting cold and even with a pretty warm luminous jacket, daren’t risk it. The bridge over the motorway had cameras so thought if I rested there I would be hassled by security. So at foot of stairs tried to get 40 winks. Then got woken up by a chap asking did I have any ciggies. Turned out it was Pete, seemed harmless enough. Spent the night chatting to him. Said he was a computer hack with some lucrative work with a big university somewhere. Hi Pete if you are reading this! Cheers for the beans on toast!

So, following morning having got no sleep continued. After hours with no luck changed my sign to next services. Eventually got a lift to Seaton Delaval. Had previously got a good lift to Dalkieth in time for last bus into Edinburgh. But I just didn’t have the energy. Perhaps it is theoretically possible to hitch hike up the Great South Road. But like out eating a sumo wrestler, difficult in practice.

Anyway seems Seaton D is the Delaval mentioned in classic English folk song “The Blackleg Miner”

“Oh, Delaval is a terrible place.
They rub wet clay in the blackleg's face,
And around the heaps they run a foot race,
To catch the blackleg miner!”

Here’s an upbeat version




Got a bus into Gotham Town and then a coach to Edinburgh. On the way saw this



Interesting stone built building it would seem with classical symmetry.

So finally met Gwen at Edinburgh Coach Station.

Good to be in time for the meeting on Monday of the Edinburgh Community Building group (based on the work of M Scott Peck). Nice to meet veterens from Crowbar 2 Heather and Orlando. Here is a pic taken on the way to Michael and Heather’s place.



Later in the week met up with Michael and Heather which was nice. Hello Michael, Heather and Orlando if you are reading this.

Here is a view of the Gothick Spacerocket. More later.



And Edinburgh Castle from Gwen’s flat.



Think this pic was taken in the Rose.



On Sunday went to Meeting for Worship at Edinburgh Central Friends Meeting House.



Here is the Meeting House after Meeting.



And the staircase



Think my first visit to Edinburgh Central Friends Meeting House was as catering co-ordinator at Young Friends General Meeting. Here’s the kitchen from a safe distance…



Here is the Meeting House from the outside, they got the builders in.



Here’s the neighbours, the Wee Frees



Went to their evening service last time I was at YFGM. It was an experience….



Here’s a daft mutt



Now, Greyfriars moggie would have moved to the next suitable supply of catfood….

Here is the Martyrs Memorial





Greyfriars is where they signed the National Covenant. Wikid!



Here is Saint Marks, a very baroque looking Unitarian Chapel



And here is the Gothick Spacerocket again! Or another one…



Here is the Planetary Headquarters of the Free Church of Scotland (the wee frees).



Bought a postcard from their bookshop showing the famous painting of their first assembly during the stirring heady days of the Great Disruption.



Likesay shows the historic signing of the Act of Separation and Deed of Demission.

Edinburgh is full of timelords, here is a tardis



so, Tuesday and I start hitch hiking back. Thought I would try the A68. A lift once said that there are 3 roads into Scotland, the Great South, the A68 and the M6 and whatever it becomes north of Carlisle.

Got a bus to Dalkieth. Stuck my thumb out at the first roundabout our of town. Hadn’t the energy, the will, I don’t know. Took another bus back to Edinburgh. Enquired as to the next coach to Leeds. Turns out it set off 21:30 hhrs arriving Leeds 06:30 hhrs change in Gunchester. So I reasoned that was still an adventure. A minor difference from hitch hiking being the tariff of 38 UKP…..

So with some time left to enjoy Edinburgh I headed up and down the Royal Mile. Here is the Scottish Parliament.



And here is Lilibet’s cottage…



A glimpse through the gate…



And made it back to Leeds to catch up on some sleep. Surprised I managed to get some sleep on the coach…. Suppose this was a sort of sleeper coach but unlike the sleeper train u don’t get a bed….

Tripping in Hippyhome

Got to Hipperholme Grammar School in Hipperholme, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Took me 3 busses thankfully covered by a county rider ticket.

Here is the front of the Grammar School built in a sort of vernacular classicism. Not only was it built symmetrically, first rule of classicism, but two wings were later added in a symmetrical fashion. Wikid!



Here is a close up of the central bit with the clock (sorry am in a rush not going to consult the rare glossary of architectural terms).



Forget what the central monument says.

Alan our tutor at the Quoin stones. A very classical feature.



Think this monument is in latin saying wish the committee had just got on with it.



Alan continues to give us the lowdown. He served the school as a history master and currently as a governor. Splendid Chap



A monument to all the boys and masters of the school who bought the farm during the First Unpleasantness. Seems the headmaster was in the Territorial Army and encouraged masters and old boys to enlist. He bought it at Ypres.



Close up of the mortar containing ash.



Later rebuilding using recycled stone and modern lintels.



A well spotted feature. Well done Richard!



More classical symmetry, the porch either not original or not planned according to a painting so originally the symmetry was spot on



And here we are back at school. Not that Alan looks like a history master….



Alan shows us how building surveying is done.



And we crack on. It’s not rocket science…












Smoking is bad for your health. Don’t do it kidz!



Many thanks to all at Hipperholme Grammar School not only for making this field trip possible but also for wonderful hospitality.. The coffee was great!

The Joy of YouTube (part three in a very occasional series honest!)

Very keen to take a break from blogging while everyone reads my last post. It will of course be a star post for anyone to come back to, I am sure it is not the last thing I have to say on the subject of sex, relationships, love and monogamous assumptions. However, I wonder if YouTube has been down, or if some of my problems accessing it have been down to which computer being used, and the ones I posted on my blog seemed ok….

So….

Fancy some Toast!



I remember seeing Paul Young and the Streetband on Top of The Pops, oh how I laughed! And oh how I am showing my age….. Thought at the time it was by “The Jam” of course, later thought it was by Ian Dury and The Blockheads. But no, it was by Paul Young, somewhat related and the Streeband.

Speaking of Ian Dury, how about Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll!



Evidently, Stiff Records went on the road, blatently promoting the label rather than the artists concerned. The evening would end with everyone up on stage singing Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll. Evidently wasn’t much of a success, so they did it again, Stiff Records that is. Undaunted they tried the losing formula another time. Or so it was said on TV so it must be true.

Remember Jilted John?



“I was so upset I cried! all the way to the chip shop!” nuff said. Classic song.

Another classic not of an age but belonging to the ages Gnarls Barkley – Crazy. Unfortunately embedding disabled at request. C’est la vie.


And I first saw this one on a repeat of The Two Ronnies. WALK IN LOVE by MANHATTAN TRANSFER



Nice!

I was flicking through the Guinness Book of Records and discovered that Emperor Bokassa was not only an Emperor but also a Field Marshal. What an achievement!

Here he is at his coronation. Very modestly he crowned himself. Not very expertly it would seem from this video, almost a botched job.



I read somewhere that the Crown Prince was in naval uniform, scaled down for a 2 year old of course. Odd really for a land locked “Empire”. Perhaps he hoped that the French would pay for his Navy as well as his Coronation. He would then of course be able to reach the rank of Admiral of the Fleet of the Imperial Central African Navy and Air Chief Marshal of the Imperial Central African Air Force. This would perhaps all be funny were he not a nasty dictator responsible for the massacre of schoolchildren.

The French of course decided it was cost effective to topple him in a bloodless coup and restore the previous President.

The Mother of all Cults?

Time for a rant!

Below is a discussion paper i produced for a listening session on sex and relationships at the "Facilitating Ourselves" conference of Community Building in Britain.

==================================

The Mother of all Cults?

At the last community building experience that I was able to be present at I felt moved to share that my eating was disordered, that I had spent prolonged periods drug dependent, and that a hot steamy affair had saved my life. Perhaps I will return to the demons of the 20th century (depression, alcoholism, anorexia, obesity and unfashionable trousers) at a later stage. But friends you can rest assured that I am not going to go six days without mention of issues around sexuality. Like I said all those years ago, the attitude of “We’re British we don’t talk about it!” is most unhealthy in my not so humble and no doubt very warped opinion.

Perhaps it is inevitable that, with 44 participants building an intentional community, time in plenary sessions was short, my contribution was pretty brief so people did jump to a few conclusions. One participant did seem to have issues and was somewhat offended, and more than a bit aggressive perhaps. I was able to explain to another participant that the said affair had been secret as my secret paramour wished no public displays of affection, I would have been happy to be open to the world about it. Further, both of us were single when we started the affair. I indeed was 33 and a virgin (agh!!!!). True, that the said affair was concealed from the world made things awkward for me especially as events subsequently unfolded. So yes, there was an illicit dimension in that an otherwise innocent and ethical affair was concealed. Not my idea, but since I agreed to said terms and conditions, I do in part share blame. It was very hard work, but it was fun though, and yes it did save my life. I was dying of sexual frustration, something I suspect that the asexual amongst us will never understand.

Anyway. I chatted to another participant. Explained that further to subsequent experience I had realised that having tried to believe in the cult of monogamy I remained a non believer. I believe in Love, but not in the soupiness of romance or indeed in monogamy. Monogamous relationships may, or may not be, loving but monogamy itself is not about love, it IS about ownership possession and control. Don’t believe me? Well then, do you own your lover/wife/husband’s body? Would you mind if he/she was loved by someone else?

Anyway. Who owns my body? Who decides how much and with whom I may share of it? Is Love about forsaking all others? Is love jealous (contra 1 Corinthians 13:4 if you must). Isn’t living openly non monogamously the most generous way to live? Again, not suggesting any form of non monogamous way of living as a new oppressive norm to replace the old oppressive norm. Was inspired one morning in a Doctor’s surgery seeing an NHS poster saying “Only have sex if you want to”.

OK losing the thread a bit. Started this article then went for a cup of coffee with a former fellow student who has just graduated. 3 pints of coffee, er lager, later………..

Don’t get me wrong, At the end of the day, my approach is pragmatic. If a monogamous relationship is loving I am all for it and against anyone disturbing it. Do what you like in bed, but don’t do it in the streets where it might frighten the horses!

Likesay. Explained to said other participant that I was at least in theory multi-amorous (poly=many well I wish!) she said something along the lines of cool! “I have polyamorous friends they are great, no pressure to have sex”. I wish I was so accepted and indeed, acceptance is not enough, I wish, and indeed have a need to be, appreciated. Wish I had some polyamorous friends. Wish I had some friends but there you go.

Must confess that currently when chatting on msn or okCupid or whatever, or indeed if I were to be out on the pull (sorry haven’t the energy, the clubbing scene in Leeds at least is ear drum splitting), I do tend to ask when chatting up eligible young ladies: (or whatever) “are you a card carrying member of The Cult of Monogamy?” After all, to enter a monogamous relationship would disturb an existing open relationship (howsoever theoretical) and funnily enough I thought that the basis of morality, including that of my mono friends was not disturbing an existing relationship or somesuch.

Don’t get me wrong. Have just looked up the definition of a Cult on the CIC website. But like I wrote on my blog:-

“I wouldn’t want to lose my mono friends but I think they know where I stand by
now, viz monogamy is sort of ok between consenting couples in private if well
not really. “Do what you like in bed but don’t do it in the street where it
might frighten the horses!”

“I was in the Old Bar at a gathering of folks from the LUU website message
boards and when chatting to one chap there, he said that he believed in monogamy
but was not prepared to discuss it. Absolutely fine, discussion of sex and
relationships is not compulsory. But hey, isn’t it characteristic of cults that
you don’t really question the cult?

“Funny, but when a cult has some non
orthodox sexual practice, they are condemned for it (the only examples that
spring to mind being The Family and the Rajneeshis) , whereas I suspect that
most cults are into monogamy (examples being Harry Krishna, The Moonies, The
Mormops, The Hubbardists, Jesus Army, Opus Dei, the Jobos and we could go on an
on here……..).

I tell you these monos are part of a cult!

 ”

(posted on my blog Sunday 6th March 2005 http://chicksdigjerks.blogspot.com/2005/03/i-tell-you-these-monos-are-part-of.html)

Anyway, funny how my email signature for years has been “IN AND THROUGH TRUE COMMUNITY LIES THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD” which hopefully some participants at Horn Farm will be familiar with, being found somewhere in “The Different Drum – Community Building and Peace” by M Scott Peck.

If anyone has ever read my email signature, no one ever commented. Whatever. Perhaps this is significant. But also on all but my yahoo signature I have included:-

"’I think the most dangerous parts of the current cultural trance are pretty obvious: male domination, materialism, and the absence of spirit. Monogamy is another one in there. These are cultural styles which, if not overcome, will probably contribute to our ever more rapid acceleration toward, if not extinction, at least a profound brutalisation of life.’ attributed, by Merrick, to Terrence McKenna.

Again, no comment not even something hostile.

Funny, somewhere in writings of M Scott Peck Scotty seems to say, “Hold up Free Love as an Ideal but under no circumstances practice it”. Again. What other people do in bed and with whom is none of my business so long as it is fully consensual and does not involve children or animals. Yes I am a card carrying Liberal. I do have issues however with people holding up Monogamy as an ideal. Why hold up monogamy as an ideal? Don’t get me wrong. If everyone was

As it turns out I am in theory multi-amorous if very celibate in practice. Such is life. The “New Man” was never top of the pops in the sexual attraction stakes.

Ok, at the risk of all this being a bit stream of consciousness think I will post and head home. Maybe we will have some vigorous debate at Horn Farm maybe not, maybe a further lurch into superficiality and monogamous assumptions.

See you all at Horn Farm.

Love and liberation

Bluebell Eikonoklastes





Some ranters. Ranting I presume....

Adult Education Through The Ages (part one I think…)

Here’s teach, obviously….



The Yorkshire Textile Industries through the ages were mainly woollens (made of wool, obviously) and worsteds (also made of wool, though at Saltaire of course they did alpaca worsteds)….

Bring on the wool….



My desk



Ditto….



Wonder if I learned anything… well here goes…..

To make woollens from wool. You have to

1. wash it
2. card it
3. spin it
4. weave it
5. finish the woven woolens

Finishing might include

- fulling
- dying
- tentering
- raising
- cropping

With additional and omitted steps with worsteds. Looks like a lot of hard work. How anyone managed to make it through all those stages to produce the first ever textiles is beyond me..... Perhaps that’s why Gengiz Khan conquered half the world with little or no textile industry, the mongol yurt being made of felt instead.

Anyway, to spin the spindle was invented millennia ago and was still in use until the Industrial Revolution. A student gives it a go....



Along comes the Great Wheel.



But the hand spindle is still in use, can be used anywhere and until invention of the spinning jenny, yarn is generally in short supply, especially in areas with a textile industry.

Lights!

The Joy of YouTube! (part two of one of them occasional series…)

Showing my age a bit. “Galloping On!” the transcendent sound of Black Beauty…..




And indeed the the Holohan sisters (never heard of them but great singers) singing “Down by The Glenside” Transcendent!



Or how about a whole coven of white witches! Pagan Rock Band Inkubus Sukkubus singing Heartbeat of the Earth. Apparently on Brit Brekfast television. Looks like they managed to Evoke Angela Rippon anyway…… wonder why they are all dressed in black though.



I could be here all night….

Textual Harassment! (part five I think but who’s counting?)

Ah drug slang and indeed other slang, so much a variable in time and place. I used to think a Bag’ed was a glue sniffer, but perhaps in some contexts at some times it means a Junkie. My brother sent me the following

“New charity on news’ Bagheds to Bagdad’ its to give them a fresh start! blessem"

Aye! Bless Them!

Sent following txt to my brother

“it was a thrill for me to meet Kennedy in that way- while i was doing my job. At that moment, I never could have imagined that fifteen years later i would be publishing nude photos of his wife.” Larry Flynt pious founder of “Hustler” amerikan jazz mag I believe.. He was in the navy on the USS Enterprise"

"Did he know Captain Kirk?" Kevin asked? Perhaps the Captain of the Enterprise at the time was Captain Kirk? Was there a Lootenant Uhura? Did he get a discrete inter-racial kiss? Or even a little more? Make Love not War! I say!

There’s klingons on the starboard side! starboard side! Starboard side! There’s klingons on the starboard side…..



My brother again sent me this one

“A recent survey found that women find different male faces attractive depending on her cycle. For example when a woman is ovulating she prefers a man with a rugged masculine face and when she is menstruating she prefers a man doused in fucking petrol, set on fire with scissors sticking out of his fucking eyes and a cricket stump jammed up his bastard arse!”

I replied

“ROFL! :-D rite on pseudo hippy bint i know said recent research shows when wimmin ovulating they r drawn 2 macho psychotic type rest of time they prefer jerks b”

Forget who sent me this one. Just as well as it might upset the feminists. I only reprint it as a sad reflection on the state of mind and indeed what passes for humour…

‘Husband and wife shopping in Tescos. Husband puts 10 cans of Stella in the trolley the wife takes them out saying “They cost £10, they’re too expensive!” Further down the aisle she puts a £20 jar or face cream in the trolley. He says “Hold on a minute that’s expensive” She says “But it makes me look so beautiful” He say…. “So does 10cans of Stella, but at half the FUCKING PRICE!”’

This one too a bit lacking in political correctness…

“Everytime I see you … I smile!when u walk … I laugh! When u speak…I get excited! For some reason retards amuse the fuck out of me!”

Must confess watching “Police, Camera Crew Action!” gives me some sort of amusement…

“Police, Camera, Retards!”

A policeman’s life is not a happy one…

Local History Quiz (part one of an occasional series…)

One for all you Armleyites. Prior to becoming a carpet warehouse, Mike’s Carpets was:-

a) a cinema
b) a Primitive Methodist Chapel
or c) a lapdancing club

UFO on the Kirkstall Road?

As I wandered down the Kirkstall Road, I couldn’t help noticing this multicoloured Unidentified Flying Object looking a bit like some stray helium filled balloons. And no doubt the conspiracy theorists will have you believe that is indeed what it was. Have tried to upload to Youtube so here goes…..

Silly Questions?

Time flies. At some point in the past when I first arrived in Leeds and was crossing the University Campus I stumbled on this heraldic achievement. Nice motto?



Turns out anyway that it is the Arms of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers of the City of London. Seems the Clothworkers paid for the Textiles Building so it’s in right ordering that their Arms are on display. Seems the Clothworkers have strong connections with this University.

Likesay dialled up their website a few years ago and discovered that you don’t have to be a clothworker to be a Clothworker, or have any connection with the City of London, you just have to be the son or daughter of a Clothworker. In fact that would appear to be the only way in. Well the Livery Companies of the City of London are peculiar peculiarities I suppose. Was listening to State Controlled Radio a while back and they interviewed this vicar who was vicar of one of the myriad churches within the “square mile” not many parishioners but since there are the Livery Companies…. Anyway seemed for one annual service he had to have a tricorne hat , not wear it but have it in his hand. Managed to get one in a theatrical suppliers or fancy dress place for a fraction of what he would have paid in Weed and Ravenscroft (official robe makers to the University of Leeds).

Anyway, top of peculiarities no doubt treasured by the Clothworkers is the following. It appears that if you are lucky to get invited to dinner at Clothworkers hall, the waiter will ask do you dine with the Alderman or with Lady Cooper, which is a now traditional way of asking would you like brandy or gin. Seems back in the midst of time Alderman Cooper was at a Clothworkers Shindig and dropped dead when he got home. Lady Cooper blamed the brandy, and bequeathed funding for gin as a safe alternative. Anyway, silly question really. In my happy go lucky alcohol dependant days wouldn’t have minded both really, preferably trebles. Now I am retired of course….

Time the Worshipful Company of Yogurt Weavers of the City of London was incorporated I would certainly be eligible for election.

Charming Armley (part one of an occasional series?)

Was taking a stroll and due to roadworks on the viaduct road, only way out of Armley was over the footbridge over the River Aire. Ah the Magick of Armley to see cans of Special Brew growing on trees!



long shot....

The David Beckham Flag

The David Beckham Flag proudly flying over the Town Hall here in Leeds.