No. 59 These be a few of me Favourite Things

“Tell me Jeffman, is there anything you actually like?”

I imagine people would ask this question with a regularity bordering on infuriation, if A) anybody knew who I was, and B) I actually believed that anybody cared.

Precisely six people know Jeffman’s true identity and they’re sworn to secrecy on the promise of certain death. Not even the crack-team of writers know who the trilby-sporting enigma really is. Which is how it should be.

But back to the initial question, which I suppose you find yourselves wondering on a daily basis. The answer is: “of course”.

In the absence of anything better to write about in what is essentially a slow news week – after all, there’s only so many times I can tackle greedy bankers being handed more of our money to squander in the naive belief they’ll stick to their side of the bargain and we’ll one day see a return on it. And Presidential inaugerations hold as much interest for me as the Presidents themselves. Unless, of course, there’s a shoe involved -  I have chosen to list some of the things I do like. You lucky people.

So here goes. Stuff that keeps Jeffman from flinging himself headfirst out of the nearest second floor window.

Booze - When sampled to excess it helps take the edge off this horrible, horrible world. It also blots out the overwhelming feeling that life’s passed you by and you’ll never amount to anything, no matter how low you aim. These are good things. Ask anybody falling out of a pub doorway on a Saturday night and they’ll tell you exactly the same. But be sure to drink to excess. Too little will only make you maudlin.

Doctor Who – Doctor Who brings unequivocal joy and there’s nowt wrong with that. Some of Jeffman’s earliest TV memories stem from watching Tom Baker’s Doctor Who in the late seventies and very early eighties. Memories that are now being fleshed out as Jeffman enthusiastically snaffles up the DVD re-releases of Doctor Who in all eight of his classic incarnations. With the show still going strong, although about to lose its finest exponent since the aforementioned Baker, and more and more of the old serials finding their way onto DVD (this year’s release schedule being particularly exciting), there’s legs in this unequivocal joy yet.

Evading Reality – This is something Jeffman can claim to be particularly adept in. Whether it’s burying his head in the sand, putting his hands over his ears and pulling his trilby down over his eyes, or just locking himself in a perpetual, alcohol-fuelled daydream of someplace else, his skills at ignoring a problem are second to none. Avoiding real life and substituting it with something a damned sight better (not particularly difficult) keeps the head above water whilst all around are engulfed by the tsunami of sewage.

The Chip on my Shoulder – Tis the one thing that keeps me sane and is taken down every so often for a damned good polish and a reapplication of glue to ensure it never slips.

Music – Jeffman was born in a crossfire hurricane and he howled at his ma in the driving rain. But it’s all right now, in fact he can’t play an instrument, nor read music but who cares? Tis the music that keeps the voices at bay. Once more, unequivocal joy is unbound.

Jeffman likes stuff from the late 60s and from the 70s. Mainly psychedelia, prog rock, acid rock and all that good stuff. If you’ve seen the Musical Interludes here, you’ll already know a few of his favourites. Which conveniently brings us to the new music review blog, Head Full of Snow, which will be launching the end of January/February. It covers all the genres mentioned above and more. The banner’s in the sidebar and will be hyperlinked upon launch.

People – A few. Not many.

So there you have it. Some stuff that Jeffman likes. Well you did ask! Make of it what you will. Normal service will be resumed next week.

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