The Cities (Poem I wrote about cities being too similar) *Contains Profanity*

Nothing is pretty anymore

for the cities have to settle some sort of score!

The atmosphere everywhere is nihilist and caustic

stuck in a dystopian vortex!

 

Every city has a Student population

which contributes heavily to Microsoft Corporation!

Non-differentiating, multinational multilingusists

where London is Irish

and Dublin’s English!

 

And young men express their resentment towards University Flankers

by saying, “Youse are all fucking Wankers!”

Cities engulfed in Government-run Drug Wars

where there’s no innocence anymore!

 

Manchester now has Tory conferences

no more terraced housing!

Just run down ghettos with high-rise flats

and a well-done-up City Centre arousing!

 

Liverpool’s no longer about the Tavern

just Culchie Blades from Ulster on Hen Nights!

And Blokes after Strippers

looking to watch the next Bellew fight!

 

But where’s Belfast in all of this?

Going down the same road?

Reckless Nouveau Riche like Mr Toad?

 

We have our problems

but we need to put things in perspective!

Hopefully there won’t be a driective

that would make our way of life ineffective!

 

Compared to one hundred miles away

we’re doing pretty well!

Hope and pray we keep our identity

to avoid a cultural Hell!

 

 

Going by Coach to Glasgow, then Train to London

Last Friday I went to Belfast to get a cross-ferry Coach to Glasgow then get a train to London Euston. In the end my ferry was delayed and then I got questioned by Police at Cairnryan Port asking me if I was ‘reported missing’. However the Police check gave me the all clear. 🙂

Then I was able to walk from Buchanan Street Bus Station to Glasgow Central Train station and had to board a Train terminating at Birmingham. However, there was a delay on the train for a couple of hours prior to Lockerbie, how ironic, due to a suspected broken line. In the end our train terminated at Preston and we had to get a train there which terminated at Birmingham and then Virgin Rail had to provide taxis, which they paid for, to take people towards onward journeys. I was with four others heading to Euston; including two young women – one from Egypt and the other from Romania – who showed me how to get 4G working on my phone. It was a real Kumbaya moment.

On the train I boarded at Preston, I was talking to a loved-up drunk Geezer who was off to Birmingham to see his family for Mother’s Day. (Solihull to be precise) It was one of those serendipitous moments where we got to talk about music and he played ‘Justified and Ancient’ by the KLF; I was twelve years-old again. 🙂

After only two and a half hours sleep at the B and B I booked at Earl’s Court, the booking was only about £15 more than the taxi I had to get from Euston to Earl’s Court, I had some toast at the dining place and had to get a Tube to Victoria to head to Brighton. In the end I enjoyed Brighton and got to visit a Skype buddy from there. It was great, having Fish and Chips along the beach. Before that, I met other friends and had a cappuccino with a heart symbol which looked like a power symbol. 🙂

Trip to Brighton (5)

On the way back, I managed to get the first train from Euston to Glasgow. Then I got to be on the coach to Belfast, there were enough free seats for the driver to accept my open return, but I was sick on the way back. But I managed to get a bus to Castledawson park-and-ride and a taxi home; one of the few taxi services in the area who operates on Sunday Night.

These past few days I have been playing catch-up. But I am glad that I’m managing things. 🙂 Plus Virgin promise to refund my ticket as well as the additional taxi I had to get. Photocopied my receipts on my printer and then scanned the copy in PDF format to email to them. 🙂

Haiku list from my journey last weekend

Ferry was delayed!
Irish Sea not seaworthy!
Anxiety high!

Police questioned me!
“Were you reported missing?”
Police check cleared me!

Frustrated on coach!
Crying toddler next to me!
Off at Craigtara!

Train halted for so long!
Inspecting a broken line!
Over two hours!

Drunk stoner on train!
Played ‘Justified and Ancient’!
Towards Birmingham!

Taxi to London!
Starts at Birmingham New Street!
Got to use 4G!

“Where were you drinking?”
Asked by drunk blade from Oxford!
Outside a Waitrose!

Earl’s Court Tube Station!
Heading on towards Brighton!
From Victoria

Lib Dem Supporters!
EU Gladrags on display!
Had to bite my tongue!

Need to get a bin!
No bin at Victoria!
Had to go outside!

On train to Brighton!
Had to stop at Three Bridges!
Then substitute bus!

Outside in Brighton!
Gorgeous Saturday weather!
At the Love Café!

Got cappuccino!
Heart sign like Power Symbol!
Made me laugh out loud!

Tube back to Earl’s Court!
Blade almost ran into me!
Like a Cattle herd!

Sick on coach back!
Between Ayr and Cairnryan!
Eating far too much!

Got earlier bus!
Castledawson park-and-ride!
Rearranged taxi!

The hardest way to make an easy living

Song and Album by Mike ‘The Streets’ Skinner – one of my literary idols.

 

I am gonna spend a few days in London, but because Easyjet’s booking website was hacked, I decided to get a cross-ferry coach to Glasgow and get a train from Glasgow to London. Whole shebang for tickets, booking fees and postage of tickets cost over £220. My initial plans to visit Brighton afterwards may have to be placed on the long finger, yet again, and possibly spend a few days in London. Public Sector workers can fly most Weekends to watch Premiership Games in England; more money than sense. 🙂

My Illustrator classes on Monday and Tuesday have worn me out completely. Today I didn’t wake up until 2:40 pm after running a few errands late last night after seeing ‘T2 Trainspotting’. Also, yesterday afternoon, I had to see the dentist and hygienist. Cost £75, but now I know that the time has come to commit to brushing my teeth twice a day; one of those basic things we’re ‘too busy’ to do nowadays. (me included) Ordered Fluoride-free toothpaste and Aloe Vera dental floss from Amazon today.

Also ordered the ‘seven days a week’ socks from Amazon Marketplace that I used to order from Jacamo; now I have Monday, Thursday and Friday missing. D’oh! Thank God I didn’t have to go back to that glorified Payday Loan masquerading as a larger men’s clothes site now. 🙂

I did a bit of practice on my Illustrator and got it hunky dory.