Category Archives: Life

Day 22: a picture of something you wish you were better at

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Is no contest. I wish I was better at this. Not necessarily as good as John Williams, but … better. I started learning around 1994 or 1995, and then rather foolishly stopped, or that is to say, very wisely gave my priority to writing. So I could have been quite good by now, if I’d stuck at it. As it is I’ve probably even forgotten “Polly Wolly Doodle” and “Michael, row the boat ashore.”

However I can remember how to do my favourite chord, which is E minor and always makes me think of Ennio Morricone.

Day 21: a picture of something you wish you could forget

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This was hard because I’m not in favour of forgetting. Even moments of my life that have been sheer hell on earth have helped me to be better after.

I thought of those videos of yesterday’s tsunami … but no, that should never be forgotten for the same reason that schoolkids for the next 1000 years and beyond should be made to watch Schindler’s List.
And then I thought of … no, not the Chicken Song specifically, but every single irritating earworm that has ever got into my head and kept me awake until 4 in the morning. The kind of thing that the Chicken Song lampooned, in other words.

In the interests of full disclosure I should probably mention that I too bought a copy of this when it came out. Much funnier was the B-side, I’ve never met a nice South African.