One Day Like This - Elbow

Lyric 'Drinking in the morning sun, blinking in the morning sun. Shaking off a heavy one, yeah, heavy like a loaded gun - Garvey

Song Choice:- Some 8,000 days ago, that was me...Drinking in the Morning Sun after Drinking in the Evening Lager.

8,000 days later, I'm still here, not dead, still dry, still wondering what life is all about a bit, if I'm being honest, helping other lost souls find their way too...

But Sober...

How fucking awesome is that?

More tomorrow from Day #8001.

Hey Boy - Take That

Lyrics:- 'Don't settle for less than you deserve, don't waste a minute of your precious time' - Barlow, Weaver, Norton, Owen & Donald

Song Choice:- Well I've always been a real Barry Garlow fan (yes spoonerism noted but it makes me smile) and he really can write a great tune AND in this case some great lyrics. 

The song is just perfect for today's blog too.

It's about settling for 'Second Best' and to illustrate this, I thought I'd share three inspirational YouTube clips that really get me thinking and get my heartbeat, thoughts and emotions running, so I don't let my own standards go downhill. It's quite an eclectic mix and you might think wtf but they all deliver that first time, clear thinking, moment of realisation that we all can draw on to sort our own sh1t out with.

As a Child of seven this was THE moment of the 20th Century for me (well I only had 38 years of experience) and marked an 'Out of World Experience' for us all. See what I mean here.

In 1994 at the same old annual passport for a few beers and jeers, eight minutes and twenty seconds that changed the world of entertainment; the look at the end says it all. If you wait it, the OMG I'm really going to be rich and famous beyond my wildest dreams is priceless and the rest is history. See what I mean here.

And finally a film sequence that is so magical it blows away all of life's BS with a simple plastic bag. See what I mean here.

Now I'm sure you have your own three. I could've put loads up here including Live Aid, the Twin Towers, Gigsy's goal even but it doesn't matter. You've got the idea and hopefully like me you know that second best is second rate and it just ain't good enough. Someone asked me yesterday what the least training you could do was for the MdS - you can guess what I said.

Let me know your three and why...I might like 'em too.

Nos Da.

946 Marathons, 238 ULTRA-marathons, 9 Guinness World Records,

12 Marathon des Sables & 7999 Days Alcohol Free

Shine on you Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-5) - The Pink Floyd

Rose Diamond

Lyric:- 'Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!' - Gilmour, Waters & Wright

Song Choice:- Well this is never far from my mind and this is only a short blog tonight as I'm packing for a 3am start for this year's Marathon des Sables Expo. Of course I've got a  talking spot and I'll see my old friend Race Director, Patrick Bauer. He will hopefully be there rolling out the red carpet to his best UK Customer.

Anyway, I've always loved the above line and if only all the Crazy Diamonds there are all shone together. my the world would be  much brighter place. Being eccentric has never worried me and standing out from the crowd and not obeying someone else's rules, actually my forte.

It's a virtue not appreciated by all I meet but then again at least you know where you stand and if I say something, I mean it and if I say I'm going to do something...then I do.

Tomorrow is a shake up day for those I'm speaking to, as a lot need to wake up, become a legend and bloody well SHINE!

Shine like they've never shone before.

Are you a Diamond?

More tomorrow.

Adventure of a Lifetime - Coldplay

Lyric:- 'Turn your magic on' - Martin

Song Choice:- I'm still loving this song and the first line is such a springboard for anyone wanting to move from their current A to new B.

This weekend I'm going to meet hundreds of such folk at this year's Marathon des Sables Expo in London. With just 134 days to go to next year's race, I'm more than surprised that folk that have still yet to cover 20 miles in one go have still not turned their 'Magic On'.

I had five years, thousands of miles and hundreds of marathons under my belt before I took on the 'World's Toughest Footrace' and found out that it's f*****g tough and if last week's TV show is correct, three people have died at the race, that would scare the s**t out of me if I'd done nothing so far (I think it's one actually)...

Ok, I will fast track over 100 people to get the medal again this year and I do hope they get some inspiration from my talks at the Expo and they go away and turn their 'Magic On'...

Please otherwise it's going to be a miserable long walk in the sand with some very hurt feet. Let's hope it's the shakeup that some of them need.

More tomorrow...

Rory Coleman - 946 Marathons - 238 Ultras
12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Rory Coleman - The UK's Leading ULTRAmarathon Coach

Location: Cardiff

Night After Night - UK

Lyric:- 'Yesterday is what I will leave it' - Wetton & Jobson

Song Choice:- This song came to mind earlier today talking about using 'Night Nurse' as an alternative to Wine with a client of mine. The idea being that it helps turn off one's grey matter, when it won't turn off by itself in the small hours. At the equivalent of £23.39 against a 75l bottle of Vino Plonko it's not really a cheap option and definitely not sold by the glass in any establishment that I know but maybe they're right and a quick slug of 'Night Nurse' is probably better than a bottle of falling down water.

Either that or listen to the above 'Prog Rock Anthem' here when your brainwaves are burning your brain out...

Continuing on with the lyrics and I'm not quite sure what 'Yesterday is what I will leave it' means...but back in 1979 I didn't really care if I'm being honest, it was more about the amount of keyboards, drums and how long the track was. 

Love and Romance with sexy 'Coldplay Love Lyrics' was far from my mind.

I might have a good listen later on myself if it all goes wrong and I get the 'Wide Awakes' at 4am. 

Then again, I ran 26.2 miles with 71 year old Bill Mitchell today and with hundreds of litres of sea air through my lungs I might well not need a bit of UK and then 'Yesterday is what I will leave it'.

More tomorrow...

2 Become 1 - The Spice Girls

Lyric:- Set your spirit free, it's the only way to be - Bunton, Brown, Chisholm, Beckham, Halliwell, Rowbottom & Standard

Song Choice:- Not my usual choice this, but then again I did see the reunion tour and they were awesome...There I've said it. Anyway, it's the video that interests me most about this track and the last 45 seconds in particular as it's got some magic moments and great rhythms.

Take a look here for yourself and it's from 1996 BTW - Yikes 20 years ago!

Anyway, it's the Girl's in real-time and the back ground sped up part of the video that gets me everytime and it's a video that I often think about when life is speeding ahead of us. 

Maybe you get the same feeling as I do that we are in slow motion whilst the world whizzes by in the fast lane. You know the, I'll just fit 48 hours of living into every 24 hour day. Jack Bauer wouldn't stand a chance living in my real time I can tell you.

Then again, thinking about it the video should be in slow-motion whilst we are dashing about our days trying to complete everything we start, trying to make everything as 100% perfect as possible ,whilst those around us settle for second or third best.

It sure is a funny old game getting the priorities right but I've been extremely heartened by a 71 year old I've been coaching today as he's going to try and beat Sir Ranulph's age record at the Marathon des Sables next April. He's fit, determined and enjoying his life's latter years doing the thing he loves the most.

Now that can't be bad can it.

Maybe we need to slow-motion ourselves and enjoy the moments we are having right now...perhaps?

More tomorrow.

Adventure of a Lifetime - Coldplay

Lyrics:- Everything you want’s a dream away and we are legends every day that’s what she told me turn your magic on - Martin

Song Choice:- Just when I though Coldplay couldn't get any better, they pull this one out of the bag. It's also a perfect accompaniment to my mood right now as our #Average2Awesome Programme goes from strength to strength with our candidates at Smeg UK, and my recent thoughts of life and it's expectations are all rolled into one simple song.

Talking of simple, what a simple world it would be too, if we could get everyone to realise their dreams and realise they are their own true legend. You can tell folk over and over and they’ll say they believe you and then in the next moment, they doubt all it all over again. I was asked today if I’m always as confident as I portray but like most confident looking people, I’m not or rather I wasn’t and its a learned behaviour that can help us bounce the bad things away and take the nerves out of situations that might otherwise scare the **** out of us.

I see this all the time with my clients I also have a second sense that when they say they are really happy and totally at one with life, arm actually they’re not. I’m not sure why they cover this part up and yet talk themselves down on others. We are taught not to be vain, try to win races on school sports days and show off our successes to the world. We all know who those 'Facebook' self-acclaimed heroes are, (me included and I’ll own up to that one) that make us cringe as they blow their own trumpets.

Funnily enough it's not like that so much in the States and they are more likely to congratulate folk who succeed so that in turn they appear to be associated with them in some way rather than as genuine true friends - take a look at your own pages and you'll see what I mean.

So here are my tips for the day. Be everything you were wanted to be. Do it now before it’s too late. Tell the world when it happens. When someone says 'Well done' and 'Your Amazing' and you know they mean it, say 'Thanks' and don't question it.

'Everything's a Dream Away'...that's the lyric and all you need to do is turn on your own 'Magic’.

Be Awesome Folks and Believe it, because probably you are.

More tomorrow.

009 Sound System - Space and Time

Lyric:- You can do anything you want to - Peris

Song Choice:- An artist that was totally new to me yesterday and there are some great tracks to escape with on the Dreamscape Album. Take a listen for yourself here.

How's this, I ran yesterday's MdS Training Marathon with a Nuclear Physicist. Hearing about the tiniest particle theories man knows of, made me realise in an ever expanding universe just how small we are yet how many billion particles of such particles have to combine to form each and every one of us.

Imagine all the world's Lego in one place assembled into the complex model ever and you've just created a billionth of an atom that you'd need to make one single person. It's just bonkers!

And all a bit weird if I'm being honest as a lot of the facts are actually only theories and as yet unproven - The thing is that they are known to exist but as yet we haven't been able to find them. Even so, the Nuclear Academics are happy that they will materialise at some stage in the future and happy to keep on looking.

How cool is that?

Who'd have thought that hard and fast Academics rely on 'Faith'. How refreshing and please don't ask me to explain any of the physics in question as I never did the 'O' Level let alone a 'PHD' and 'Masters' like my client. On the belief level, like them I'm right up there as 'Faith' is one of my real qualities as well as 'Hope'.

Luckily my work brings me into contact with people I wouldn't normally meet and every day is a school day. as we never stop learning. Don't worry, I won't be enrolling at the local night school with my eyes set on winning a Nobel Prize. I don't need to as I saw the world from a new perspective today and that's all that matters.

When was the last time you saw your world from a fresh perspective?

Rory Coleman - 945 Marathons - 238 Ultras

12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location: Cardiff

The Real Thing - Faith No More

Lyrics:- 'Like your heartbeat when you realize you're dying, but you're trying. Like the way you cry for a happy ending'.

Song Choice:- It sounds strange to me when folk say someone is 'terminally ill', it's like death is somehow never going to happen to anyone. However some of the ''Outlook Appointment's' for the Pearly Gates are sooner than others. 

The hard thing of course is that we don't know when that day is, so we just bury our heads and ignore the fact and take our foot off the 'Got to make my mark on the World-Pedal'. 

So I wonder why we allow ourselves to lose the feeling that this life of ours is 'The Real Thing'.

It's been a time of realisation for lots of the folk I've met recently as I watch the 'Penny has finally drop' and the wonder of the world that surroundsus all finally comes to life in front of my eyes.

Take today...I met an incredible person this morning whose life was destroyed when during an operation he had a very rare 'Right-sided' stroke. This once active and very proud man, has been left disabled and really angry...and I mean ******* angry. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. For him asking for help is the absolute pits. So demeaning and for the past couple of years it's been a prison cell existence in his body without parole.

Yet today the anger disappeared and life's opportunities and it's 'Real Thing' suddenly came back to life and turned a corner. The crying stopped and the Happy Ending got one step nearer. I'll keep you posted on what's going to be a remarkable journey for a remarkable man. Yep he's aiming BIG! Well it's the only way to aim ins't it.

More tomorrow.

Rory Coleman - 944 Marathons - 238 Ultras - 12 Marathon des Sables
9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Caerdydd

Keep Talking - The Pink Floyd (Pulse 1994)

Lyrics:- 'I think I should speak now, I can't seem to speak now, My words won't come out right, I feel like I'm drowning, I'm feeling weak now, but I can't show my weakness' - Gilmour, Samson & Wright

Song Choice:- Well it's been a bit of a 'Pink Floyd Week' for me and my 'Guardian Angels' from a lifetime ago still deliver the goods especially with this 1994 'Live' version of the 1991 Division Bell track has every Pink Floyd trademark you could ever want handily written into nearly seven minutes of pure magic, you can appreciate right here.

It's been a long day in the gym today, (especially with this tooth ache) and as usual in my Running Clinics, there's a lot to cover and only a short time to get to know the people I meet in depth, so I can evaluate their needs and help them break down their self imposed barriers, that limit their horizons both personally and physically.

The biggest barrier I find is the one where folk are limited by the people they surround themselves with. Both at Home and at Work. There are SO many vampires and negative partners out there. Breaking through the barrier and seeing the result is one of the best parts of my job. There have been so many amazing moments that have lead to greatness. 

However the best ones are when you really connect and you don't have to 'Keep Talking' as it's there right in front of me plain to see. Call it a 'Sixth Sense' if you like but it's more like 'life experience 'and having been there myself, it's an easy one to spot.

I used to be too proud...The line of 'Not Showing your Weakness, feeling weak or drowning' are all references of being bullied or feeling depressed which often leads to a self-imposed silence, from what I found. A kind of self imposed silent domestic cease-fire slowly stops things getting worse but never improves things...ever.

What you or other folk are thinking or feeling then becomes  impossible to comprehend.

Yet in just over a couple of hours in Cardiff all of this can unravel and new horizons are found, levels of determination set at 11/10 and new oaths are sworn to a better person, live up to new dreams and head for a cleaner life.

I wonder how many just 'Keep Talking', rather than let the 'Real Talking' begin...

Remember C Scott Ragsdale - 'You can talk about it all day, but just make it happen'...

Is that You?

More tomorrow...

Echoes - The Pink Floyd

Lyrics:- 'But something stirs and something tries, and starts to climb towards the light' - Gilmour, Mason, Waters & Wright

Song Choice:- If you have the odd 22:32 minutes to spare to watch Parts 1 & 2 on YouTube (with headphones if possible) you'll hear just what I'm banging on about tonight. Some great vocals and keyboards from the late Richard Wright of course.

This is an old time favourite of mine and it's a unique snapshot of a time when 'Pink Floyd Psychedelic Prog Rock', (sadly long forgotten by nearly all of us), took us in a darkened room full of a hazy smoke that provided a 'Time Out' to think about whom we are, what we do, whom we do it with and when. Sadly back then most folk were too out of it to do anything about it, when they discovered what it was!

However, some 40 years later on and listening in hi-definition sound (without the smoky haze I hasten to all), still manages to deliver it's magic, well to me anyway. 

Maybe it's the lyrics? I could pick out loads of lines that hit the spot but 'The something stirs and tries etc'. reflects so much about my own awakening as well as the same awakening I see in my clients. The real clincher is 'And do I take you by the hand, and lead you through the land, and help me understand the best I can'. It doesn't get any better than that if I'm being honest. 

The problem is so many folk get bogged down by having such busy and complicated lives, their physical and emotional baggage buries their 'Treasure' (all of their good bits, you know what I mean) so deeply that time and energy just passes them by and therefore life itself.

If that's you right now, look up, see the light and start climbing towards it. There's nothing to lose only to gain if you ask me. Then I'm bound to say that aren't I, although I know it's true and that I've been there and got the T-Shirt.

I am however going to have another listen tonight in the dark and see if it speaks to me again and I can expand my mind just another but further.

Thing is no ones going to do it for me and the 'Cloudless Skies' Waters sings of might not be everyday but you never know I'll try if you do - please let me know how you get on?

Now where are my sandals and joss-sticks?

More tomorrow...

Life in the Fast Lane - The Eagles

'Lyric:- The coming attraction, the drop of a name, they knew all the right people' - Frey, Henley & Walsh

Song Choice:- Seems only right for today and more later on...

All The Things She Said - Simple Minds

Lyric:- 'There'll be no compromising'...

Song Choice:- Even though it's now some 30 years old, I still love the video and the above lyric still hits me like a sledgehammer, I love the 'All the things she said', line and it's more 'of an 'All the things she didn't say', really as that speaks volumes as far as I'm concerned. 

As far as the 'compromising' bit I'm not so sure as t's not one of my particular life skills. if I'm being honest...

I don't mind admitting it either as my being highly focussed and unfaltering in my objectives has provided me with an unequivocal drive and determination that I've drawn on time and time again when the brown-stuff has hit the fan especially when I've been pushing my running past my limits of human endurance.

It's a blessing and a curse as though one gets to see the world in high-contrast-full-colour-dolby-surround-sound it uses vital RAM for less urgent life happenings that can get sidelined so easily!

Can one learn to compromise? Who knows...I'm not sure I can whilst I'm still running so many marathons, coaching folk to their goals and crossing deserts or even if I'm not doing all of the above. I don't think I'm going to be compromising today...again.

More tomorrow...and don't lower your guard, as you don't want to look back on a big lost world.

Rory Coleman - 944 Marathons - 238 Ultra-marathons -12 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location: Cardiff

A Design for Life - The Manic Street Preachers

Lyric:- 'What price now for a shallow piece of dignity'

Song Choice:- Seems only right as lead singer James Dean Bradfield was at Cafe Castan in Pontcanna getting a cup of tea this morning at the same time I was and since then this track has firmly stuck playing over and over in my head!

Isn't it funny how certain things get lodged in our minds and we just can't shake 'em. I don't mind in this case though as the 'Design for Life' lyric is such a great hook and of course it's the Manics at their best...

I mean, if only we were all born with a handbook, life would be simple.

We'd all then live 'By Design'. Everyone would have a plan, we'd all know where we stand with each other and there'd be no war, only love. It would lead us to the perfect world,you know the one you've spent a lifetime trying to reach.

Only life's not that perfect is it and it all sounds far too 'Stepford Wivesy', well for my liking 'cos as you know I'm not really one for rules.

Then again lots of folk don't live by the rules either and live in a more kind of 'Freeform Jazz' kinda way, wearing Earplugs so they don't hear the cacophony they make and dark glasses so they don't see the mess they leave in their wake.

Ask them 'How are things?' and they'll tell you 'Life's ticketyboo' only what they really mean is 'Beam me up Scotty as I haven't got a clue what I'm doing at all. All I want to do is be happy, but there's no plan!'

Maybe writing a few simple operating instructions for your own life would help get things going in the right direction before a possible redesign.

I love the old adage, 'Engage brain before putting mouth into gear'. I've found disconnecting my drive' and pressing my 'Reset button', helps in times of conflict. I know that from experience very well!

Are you in need of a 'Grand Life Re-Design. Makes you wonder what parts you'd keep...I'd be really interested to know...

More tomorrow...

Rory Coleman - 944 Marathons - 238 Ultras

12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Cardiff

Hold Your Colour - Pendulum

Lyric:- 'Don't try to save yourself, the circle is complete' - Thompson

Song Choice:- No marathons this weekend for me and on a wet day in November in Cardiff  and in the light of the Paris Terrorism Attacks it's hard to lift the mood but I decided to include some Pendulum in my day to brighten up the 'Darkness' that can sometimes surround us in this crazy upside down world we live in.

So sticking to the colour theme, for years now I believe I see and feel life in 4K Hi-Definition colour. It's so bright and clear sometimes it makes your fingers tingle. It makes you feel so alive...Have you ever felt like that? It's a rare feeling and folk can sometimes go a lifetime and never experience it. Maybe it 's something that comes with age, who knows. 

If however, you view life the same way, you'll know just what I mean. 

You'll already know that short-lived artifically-fuelled alcohol highs and lows just makes the world even foggier place take it from me, as I know. If you want to see what I mean, I have some 3D glasses you can try on before the world simply passes you by.

It took me a good 31 years to find out where I'd been going wrong and that first run of just 100 steps took me from living in a grey, alcohol fuelled black and white world to my Hi-Def heaven where I now like to think I preside.

I say 'think' as it's a from perfect broadband service in 'Roryworld' and there are still parts of it that are still a puzzle. Therefore, I see life more like a 'Hi-Def Magic-Eye Picture' and what can seem really obvious to me sometimes can often just be 'gobbledygook' to the folk I meet.

Have I lost you now - I'd love to know...anyway...

I'm often asked what's my favourite marathon, or greatest achievement well I'm not really sure if I'm being honest as I've done so many and they have more value as a whole rather than as one-off's.  What I would say though is the greatest gift I've got from running is 'Seeing the world in Hi-Definition Colour'.

Get those fingers tingling folks...and get a HDTV License ASAP and 'Hold Your Colour'.. 

More tomorrow...

Poison Arrow - ABC

Lyric:- 'Raise your aim' - Fry, Singleton & White

Song Choice:- I love a bit of the old ABC and this song came to mind today. I could have chosen 'Many happy returns', with the great line 'Like the Phoenix coming back from the Ashes uh-huh'...but I believe the 'Raise your aim' fits my thoughts today just perfectly. It's been a long old week you see. A tiring one too, after five marathons last week including the Triple-Ultra Druid Challenge, a hard week of coaching and another 42.2km today, on the wonderful Welsh Riviera.

Anyway, going back to the ABC lyric, and raising your aim. Again, it's an interesting thought especially if you've been reading my blogs closely this week.

Aiming high has never been a problem for me as I've always wanted to be the BEST at anything I do, or I'm not really interested if I'm being honest. Run a marathon, only right to do 1000; set a Guinness World Record...then set five in a day and at least nine to get the maximum da-daaa appeal.

It sounds a bit shallow when I write it here but it's what makes me tick. It's my way of expressing myself and making a mark on this busy world we all live in. I'm going to carry on now for the rest of 2015 as I've clocked up 63 marathons now, my best for a couple of years and I'm looking forward to an exciting 2016 with a whole lot of new adventures ahead of me.

Are you raising your aim?

More tomorrow.

One Step Closer - Simple Minds

Lyrics:- 'To a different place, different time'.

Song Choice:- I've always enjoyed the 'Minds' and although this is one of their lesser known tracks, it's worth a listen if you've never heard this one before - here.

Now here's a question for you...

Today, did you one step closer to where you want to be? If you can honestly say 'Yes' to that, then that's an amazing feat as most folk spend a lifetime simply treading water. 

Even having a life-goal in the first place is a rare find, even in my line of work where I meet so many folk with a short-term goal of running across deserts or completing marathons and setting Personal Bests. 

Busy work and home commitments makes 'Uncomplicating Life', almost impossible sometimes and getting someone to experience the 'Lightbulb Moment' is one of the best, if not the best part of my job as a coach. It's happened a lot this week - and I love it!

Here's some thoughts for you...

• What is it you really want to do with the rest of your life?
• What really excites you?
• If you could be anywhere in the world, where would it be?
• What's the biggest area of change you make to your world?

Be honest with yourself and you'll get one step closer to a different place. If you don't know how to do it, come and see me and you never know, you might get that 'Lightbulb Moment' too...

More tomorrow...

Dogs - The Pink Floyd

Lyric:- 'That everyone's expendable' - Waters

Song Choice:- Well it's about time I did a few Pink Floyd blogs. The corrosive nature of Waters lyrics suits my thinking sometimes and etches through the layers that folk allow their life to be buried under.

Baring life's bare metal allows us the chance to rebuild our inner strength and add a fresh coat of paint for us to show the outside world that everything is perfect in our perfect little worlds.

Or is it?

It's funny but I meet a lot of folk who say one thing and do something completely different. Or here's something to consider, how many so called 'friends' that come to dine or stay are really that? Many? Any?

Do you just think the whole time, when are you going home?

I bet you do...as 'Everyone is Expendable', family exempt of course. I remember my children as youngsters battling it out in hand-to-hand combat and eventually resorting to a family charter where we agreed to get on at home and protect each other from the outside world.

Thank God it worked otherwise Sons #1&2 would not have survived their WWF teenage years!

Anyway, back to being 'Expendable' and maybe if you are a regular reader or know me as well as I let you, you'll understand where I'm coming from and before my Mother asks me has someone 'pissed me off', no they haven't. I just understand folks needs and I'm looking after number one, just as much as the next person.

On a Desert Island, you don't need much or anyone really - you just need to be comfortable with the person whom inhabits your head.

Finding others is a Life-Long-Lottery and you might find that they but more likely you are 'Expendable'.

What are you 'Expending' a lot of energy on for no return?

Rory Coleman - 943 Marathons - 238 Ultras
12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Cardiff

Wish You Were Here - The Pink Floyd

Lyric:- We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - Gilmour, Waters & Wright

Song Choice:- From my most purchased album ever, (must be double figures on cassette, vinyl, cd and mp3) the 2011 remastered edition has some amazing early recordings of Raving and Drooling (later to become Sheep) as a bonus. As for the above rack, right from the first time I ever heard it, it hit all my buttons, very firmly, and has done every time I've heard to since.

You see, it's the 'How I wish, how I wish you were here' bit that I've always connected with. Of course I know the song was written about Syd Barrett but that doesn't matter as it's perfect for tonight's blog.'

Bear with me, but if I asked you where in the world you would like to be whisked off to right now, I bet it would be a sunny, white sanded beach next to a wide and deep warm blue ocean lying on a sun-lounger armed with a favourite tipple(soft drink of course) and a good book. Y

es, your own Island Paradise.

It all sounds idyllic...and, if we took time out from our Paradise to write a postcard or drop a message on Facebook (as of course it would have wi-fi), you might write - 'Wish you were here'. to all and sundry 

Only would you really mean it? I don't think you would...I know I wouldn't.

It's a funny old thing eh? But would you really want to be asking anyone to join you and ruin your tranquility and simple existence. Running's like that for me as I discovered early on in my career, I soon went to that very beach, the one you have pictured in your mind right now, every time I ran.

If you can see the beach, you'll understand just what I'm talking about. If you can feel the sun, you'll understand the warmth exercise can bring into your life and if you can feel the waves rushing in and out around your feet, then you'll know that the ocean washes away your woes and creates a fresh beach to walk on every day. I could go on but there's no need for any star nonsense is there! 

Wish you were here? Maybe not!

More tomorrow...