Flames y'all

In search of something uplifting? Don’t come here. Attempting to stave off the blues, I’ve been seeking out uplifting entertainment. The weather is being all lovely, and as it has improved, I’ve worsened. It is like having seasonal affective disorder in the wrong order. Observing the advice of the therapy group that used to instruct me to lie upon a dirty floor whereupon I would weep, I sought out a bit of uplifting music and comedy (the instructor said to stay away from news and current affairs, that’s no trouble for me, it’s not like avoiding cake).


In these times of futuristic technology, I look to social networking sites for recommendations from ‘friends’ I’ve never met. Now, I love the work of Scroobius Pip. I’m not in his demographic and know nothing of hip hop. His Tweets are often amusing and interesting and it seemed like fate when he recommended an event by the spoken word artist Polarbear. I saw Polarbear at Bestival a few years ago when he was just reciting some poems, I remember that I liked his stuff, so, on impulse, I asked Nina if she would like to come to Warwick Arts Centre to see him.

I knew it was going to be a theatrical piece, but hoped for some of the uplifting hip-hop tunes and sizzling rhyme. Oh dear I wish I could return ‘Return’. We got a 45 minute monologue on the theme of going back home after making it in the wider world. I’m truly impressed that the artist found backing and bookings. He’s ahead of me there (although I’ve never attempted to do either). The handling of the theme was cliché, and the language dull on the whole. If I’d gone to see it as free experimental theatre, I’d be more tolerant, but for £10 a head, never again, not even on Scroobius Pip’s say-so. Nina and I spent a further £2 on McDonalds ice creams and had a laugh together. I forgive Scroob though, maybe hadn’t seen the show.

Today, more sunshine and glums. On Twitter, I saw my favourite comedian, Richard Herring, galvanise his fans into telephoning a company that had called him repeatedly to sell him a new phone service. Initially, I thought the idea amusing, Richard suggested that people try to promote his AIOTM podcast to the firm. I certainly share the frustration with unwanted sales calls, we have them on our landline to the point where we no longer pick up the phone. Gradually though, Herring got replies indicating that their calls were being answered by one particular man who seemed to being progressively baited into swearing. One reply gloated that the man may lose his job. All of this seemed disturbing to me, after all, the calls that Richard received were not this man’s fault, and as an entry level employee, he wasn’t likely to be able to fix Richard’s problem. I chimed in with my dissenting voice, as did one other person, all the rest were into the ‘fun’, or even fun, spirit. Herring responded to us dissenters and seemed to up the game further. I came back to say that much as I liked his work, I was disappointed in him. Richard got back to me personally with, “Herring1967@Dee_Richards I think it's a beautiful piece of mischief. And shows power of Twitter. It will last for an hour. Many of the employees seem to be enjoying it.”.

I was satisfied that my point had been noted with a polite reply. I didn’t and still don’t think he was right. In my opinion, the situation demonstrated, that people who like someone’s work enough to feel some emotional connection will do what they say. It also demonstrates that a smaller number of those people will argue with you in a public domain. Anyway, I cleared off then because Nina came home with a toe curling story of giving blood, which was both amusing and uplifting.

Later though, I found that a stranger, leaping to Richard's defence, had called me a cunt. Wonder what was being dealt with at the call centre? I was momentarily startled, but didn’t reply, and wasn’t upset as I had anticipated I might get flamed. Later still, I picked up this nice message from Richard, ”Herring1967 @Dee_Richards apologies for that guy sending you abusive text. You ate entitled to your opinion and I think you made a good point. Sorry!”. After that, the man who swears at strangers sent me an apology with Richard copied in. I didn’t reply as being found worthy of an apology only after Richard had said so was even more of an insult. At this point, I noticed he had a strange pseudonym (Richard’s name with one letter changed), and then I found a list of names that this man had made. A list that I was on. At that point, I blocked him. Then of course, because I wanted to blog him, I regretted that. But you can’t have everything.

Now, I’m feeling both flat and warmed. How strange, that ‘friends’ who I will never meet, can affect me. There’s a plus side though. The contemplative mood has had me stitching. The quilt’s coming on lovely.