Substance-induced time warp... no off switch now

The problem with long-term sobriety is there is no switch-off; or off switch as the Indians would say.

Having once liquored up to escape the mayhem or enhance it, depending upon which side of life’s madness you were on – now, with a serenity that you can only pray for and hope that you embody at some level, you walk down the street; good, bad and ugly.

I woke up at the age of 40. Problem was, I was never 39, or 35 or 29… I was 19 and then 40.

That kind of substance-induced time warp is a butch.

An Eagle flies away... Thank-you Mr Frey

If you liked music, attempted to play any instrument or even just turned up at a party where the volume was up, chances are, you encountered The Eagles; 20 years ago of course.

Hotel California was given the ‘satanic’ workover by the Christian fundamentals and that meant, it was embedded in the subconscious of millions forever.

As a soundtrack to my youth, Glenn Frey riffed well into my late 30s.

Watching him ‘live’ through the haze of amber-hued intoxicants a tsunami of memories brought on a Peaceful Easy Feeling.

For just a moment, the circle was complete.

Thank-you Glenn.

David Bowie - the original funky diva

Before any of the gender challenging, fashion-busting, headline-driving stars that we have today, before Lady Gaga, there was David Bowie.

Growing up in the 1980s, we approached his music with an almost freaked-out reverence.

There was power in it, but there was also an ungratifying drive away from pop-star reverence.

Above all, he challenged you – tastes, beliefs, agenda, life. Then he riffed a bit.

His voice was cultured and rambunctious in an effortless sway between rock, pop, punk and all else.

In today’s star-per-second social media madness David Bowie was the great goth of yesterday’s music magic-ness. No more.

Why I'm running scared...

For all the stupidity and selfish meandering that has marked my life, fear has rarely paralysed me.
As my children were born, gurus warned me that the fear they would put in my heart would be like no other.
My eldest hit her teens. My son, younger, is watching, picking out a plan of action for when his time comes. My youngest is the typical hyper-connected 7 going on 17 child of today.
Fear is beginning to strike.
Mostly because we all want our children like angels to be, but all they are is just like you and me.