Eino Keskitalo asks:

So – what was your favourite on the Spectrum?

He is of course referring to my favourite computer game on the ZX Spectrum. Well I played all the classics such as Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy and Elite, but there’s always a fond spot in my heart for the games that were put out by UK gaming company “Ultimate”. Jet Pac was an instant fave and all that company’s titles had an imagination and flair that really defined the computer games we see today. Even the packaging got sophisticated too. But yeah, I collected all of those early “Ultimate” games.
HG says:

As a fellow music snob I totally know where you are coming from.
I’m afraid I have a massive soft spot for Pearl jam and that is so not cool.

I’m not a music snob per se, I just don’t want to be hip. I want to be square! There’s nowt wrong with Pearl Jam – they’ve weathered the storm of grunge and were always more melodic than Nirvana. If Vedder had all the emotional/drugs baggage of Cobain, things might have gone the other way. Anyhoo, here’s “Do the Evolution”, which is my favourite Pearl Jam track:

Recently, I’d managed to flog a few copies of “God Pays” and I’d asked a couple of the good people to write a short review on the product page in order to drum up some interest in the music. I got my first review today, and while it is fair, some of it makes me go “Uh?” And yes, the reviewer is right – I don’t have any friends. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to make all this music…
This is from Laurence H:

DISCLAIMER. I don’t think Darren has any ‘friends’ but if he did, I might be considered one of them, however distantly. First off, this is really a 2 CD set. The third, ‘vocal’ disc sounds kind of like Ian Drury & the Blockheads out-takes. The fourth sounds like the navel gazing of someone who has just discovered the guitar and recording equipment. But that’s OK. The first two discs are first rate. I’m amazed that some bloke can perform and record such music at such a high level in his basement/living room. Darren’s inspirations are often obvious, but they are righteous. Robert Fripp. Brian Eno. Phil Manzanera. Micheal Brook. In a world that cries out (without necessarily knowing it) for another ‘Apollo’, another ‘Hybrid’, a King Crimson where Fripp remembers he’s a guitarist, ‘God Pays His Debts…’ is a Red Cross helicopter. I really enjoy discs 1 and 2 and consider the money well-spent.

Oh well, I am not sure if it will get folks reaching for their credit cards, but at least it is honest… Mind you, it is a glowing recommendation compared to the feedback I got on YouTube yesterday, a message in broken English telling me never to make music again. Oh well, better sell my guitar then.
Yesterday, I did the right thing, or at least I thought it was the right thing, and sent a present to my father at the address I have for him. Whether he and his family are still living there is another matter. Whether or not he wants the present is indeed another matter, but the parcel was sent because I thought he might be interested in hearing some of my music. However, receiving nearly 10 hours of Lock Music in the post might be a trifle frightning though. Anyway, I doubt I’ll hear anything back from that quarter as I am persona non grata.
Today, I waited indoors all day for an Xmas present for the Missus I ordered a week ago from Comet to arrive. They give you the option to choose the day and so I chose today. I didn’t go out to get a newspaper, I didn’t take Alex for his morning and afternoon walk. I stayed in and flinched at every unusual sound from outside and every false alarm triggered by Alex the Wonderdog barking the good bark. The parcel didn’t come…
Oh well, there’s always tomorrow…
On Sunday, we celebrated the in-laws Ruby wedding anniversary and went to the same pub where our wedding reception was held. The place was heaving with people and my nerves were steadied by numerous pints of lager. It was a good time and it was nice to catch up with everyone again. Me and the Missus were both amazed at how much our little niece had grown since we’d last seen her in November. Time truly does fly.

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