R.I.P Dolly

Music if in the decades of reading this blog is something you realized I'm quite passionate about often features here, some of the very first entries duo-posted between here and a blog on Friends Reunited in 2006 were an early sign of that.

Some of that was through listening to friends and siblings own recordings which alongside the radio tended to inform my ability to find what I really liked rather going with what my peers listened to.

My tastes are broad as they are go deep, no surprises then the physical media collection is pretty big both vinyl and compact disc/super audio cd.

Country music was a big influence on me, my parents loved Country apart from Jazz so we had many country albums, individual and greatest hits ones about and I wasn't opposed to plaything them myself when they weren't around.

One was Dolly Parton who died Tuesday after having cancer for a short period

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean (née Parton; January 19, 1946 she was  an American singer-songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. 

Frequently dubbed the "Queen of Country", she was one of the most honoured country performers in history, earning eleven Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, six Golden Globes and a Tony Award. 

She was also known for her cultural influence and philanthropy via Dollywood and the Dollywood Foundation. With more than 100 million records sold, she is is among the best-selling music artists of all time.

Born into poverty, she wrote her first song at age six, performed regularly on TV by age ten, made her first recording at age eleven, and becoming  a professional songwriter at age sixteen. 

After writing songs for others, she released her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly (1967), starting a nearly 60-year career releasing in total some 49 studio albums and writing more than 3,000 songs, including "I Will Always Love You" (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper and an international success for Whitney Houston that sold 24 million copies worldwide), "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors", and "9 to 5".

Her songs were seldom in the third person, always first talking about life as she had lived and experienced it and through that having a special meaning though that authenticity to all of us who heard them

She made a huge difference through her investment in her native Tennessee and though her many works to tackle illiteracy and inequality, donating money for the development of a covid vaccine and promoting it when some in the United States refused to accept what medical science had to offer during that terrible period in recent history.

Personally I am saddened by her loss for what she offered as a performer but perhaps more for her sense of humanity and her willingness to use her position to do everything she could to help those less fortunate.

Guess who's coming back?

The biggest off air soap opera with plot twists to rival anything on Eastenders or Coronation Street takes a new turn this week, in fact this is so breaking  news bits are coming in dribs and drabs as I type.

Most of us can recall what we were doing way back in 2018 when Harry and Meghan got married, the start of the spectacular failing out between Harry and Prince William and spouses that run into the Royal Family generally.

This lead to a temporary move to Canada before settling in Montecito, California in the United States where it was widely expected they and their children would stay not least having burned their bridges with the Royals and the wider UK public massively.

We now learn they are to return to the UK after a off/on visit with His Majesty King Charles III and the Queen probably settling somewhere around either Northamptonshire in the South Midlands or the Cotswolds area of Gloucestershire.

One reason it appears to be  Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's schooling which despite both having identifiable american accents and exposed to that countries culture, the couple appear anxious to have an English education and we are lead to believe school placements are booked for Autumn (Fall) term.

Other reasons include apparently the children getting along well with the Spencers, to whom Princess Diana, Harry's Mom was member of and the meeting with King Charles that seemed to turn out satisfactory.

Reaction will probably be mixed in the Country as a while, I have very mixed views on this as over the last eighteen months or so we've been getting tittle tattle suggesting the patience of the celebs in Montecito had been wearing thin and that it's hardly a inexpensive place to live before we consider how offended many of us feel about the manner their issues with the other royals were handled not least when the Duke of Edinburgh was seriously ill and indeed the period before the late Queen Elizabeth died.

They certainly did not need all this drama but maybe we might see a partial defrosting of the relationships and while I have some concerns around Prince Harry's character, he does have some strengths which can can better use over here.

We'll see.

The eclipse of the Sun

Yesterday was a very hot one following temperatures of 33 degrees C on Wednesday so apart from literally feeling under the weather despite drinking plenty of liquids but really there was only one thing we were talking about was a once in a lifetime experience when the Moon obscured the Sun which was visible from most of Europe.

People sat outside, sometimes in groups armed with special highly protective glasses, a hand made pinhole camera or improvising with a colander and a piece of card although that would give you multiple images.

It was a great opportunity to learn about how the sun works, practise some basic skills we use in science and engineering and perhaps help reignite the interest in Astronomy and Space.

It also was a great spectacular event.

Rested

 

Well okay peoples, how's it going?

Last week was a blast although it could of started with a hoot as there I was fully dressed waiting for the traffic to clear to enter a car as one another enters our road and just stayed still for over a minute.

Talking about "stopping the traffic" I had no idea where to put myself and as next door has issues with a cross dressing assigned as male at birth family member the last thing you want is them staring at the window at you.

Anyway with all that over with I got along just fine ordering a slice of cake and pot of tea as we'd pass the time for meals to be served and then walked around the grounds of Whalley Abbey with no negative reactions even though I was make up free.

I also answered the door to the Amazon Courier as he had stuff for another resident here who didn't tell me when their order was due fully femme fine.

Crazy thing while away with friends was one said something to the effect "It's a delicate matter but do you have any trousers or jeans with you?" in connexion with going out to a meal.

This establishment isn't one with dress codes, no wellington boots, muddy hiking boots or anything like that bans and at least two in the party attending had deep male voices, one wore a school skirt, other had male type body hair which doesn't bother me and yet even though I was able to use a cafe "en femme" with no incident this individual was suggesting in a round about way I didn't "pass" and wasn't going to be allowed to join them unless I changed.

Given how Trans Passing Rules work, I have know cis females say they'd never pass the tests even they they WERE assigned at birth as female!

The good news was despite that Grring thing, I did feel more relaxed for just switching off from things at home and within the family.

The World Cup Boycott

First off, I detest this paper usually with a fashion - sensationalist with a loose connection to truth and it's part in demonizing the Hillsborough dead and families, for that it's "The Scum" for me but this headline regarding the proposed part sell off of the World Cup in soccer (or Association Football to some) gets it spot on.

The game is about world teams playing together, supporters mixing learning about each other other from richer nations in much of Europe and the Americas to the least well off in parts of Africa and plans that impinge upon regular club and regional competitions such as the Uefa Championship in Europe, extending the frequency of the World Cup and essentially converting it into a sponsored elite event  is just wrong.

So to see Uefa, the English FA and the associations that cover the Caribbean, South and Central America and Asia reject it is so right especially as it was conducted very much in secret is heartening.

The games don't belong to FIFA and it's controversial leader to sell.
 

All change at No.10

Will be short and sweet post today as I'm away.

Well it finally happened.

The man who wanted to be party leader eventually having cleared the opposition became Labour Party leader Friday and by Monday following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation and seeing King Charles III, was duly appointed Prime Minister.

It is early days so we won't know if he can actually deliver on the main things of Labour's 2024 Election Manifesto which his predecessor just struggled with but he's scrapping the Digital ID project and has pledged to cut VAT on Electricity although you might wonder "What about my gas bill?" which is fair  comment.

We should get a comprehensive statement about his policies for the economy by around October/November time which will be challenge given the shortage of wriggle room but I do sincerely hope he makes someway to improving peoples personal lives and the economy.

A Smart Girl?

Another hot week, not quite as hot as last never mind the fortnight before and we turn or perhaps return to the topic of when a Girl legally or ceases socially to be that and becomes a Woman which is something that has varied over the decades.

Back in 1964, you became in Law an adult at 21 which around about the age you'd complete a undergraduate degree at University getting your certificate and then would be able to vote, stand for parliament and operate a full bank account.

Thus at the age of 18 you were still very much a boy or a girl, albeit with more responsibilities and privileges than your ten or twelve your old siblings and cousins as you moved more towards adulthood and most studies show the human brain doesn't stop growing until after 21.

There just was in the late 1960's a growth in the view 18 years ought to be adults that Parliament legislated for.

What this meant was the girl of 16 or 18 was that outside from being able to leave school to work which girls and boys back then did at 15, they were in many respects the "junior" and they still had children's annuals and publications but with the sophistication of the the older girl(or boy) in mind

Smart Girl was fashion publication for girls and young adults (by the definition then)  that decided to make a Annual that went beyond just fashion for those girls.

On the left we have the index showing entries on beauty and grooming, sowing, cartoon strips, fashion and fiction while the right hand side has the introduction setting out what the annual is all about

Here we have a cartoon strip about girls of these ages going out socially, playing ten pin bowling, having a different kind of fun than their younger sisters.

Above is a feature around hair care and styling as you now not only bought your own products but often wanted to emulate looks you'd seen.

Fashion advice features not surprisingly given it was published by a fashion magazine looking at putting together looks and whole wardrobes now that you took over a  good chunk the responsibility for dressing yourself from your Mom, not that she was short of an opinion to share and you wanted to express yourself more socially even if at college or work there still were restrictions.

That took us on to what younger publications wouldn't talk too much about which is starting a career, the skills and any qualifications you need as you need to support yourself.

Given the issues I had getting any careers advice at that age actually something like that would of been jolly useful!

Looking at it, it seems a very well put together annual for that age group.

Personally I've always been a bit sceptical about the notion that as an 18 year old you were really that mature, not that some may well of felt it even amongst schoolfriends in the sixth form who in certain critical ways were more of their age than I was.

Adulthood can wait until you really have grown into it and even then not everything has to be purposeful or serious.