This Dismal Day

You Know Conrad -
    - hates all poetry.  This morning, though, sitting down at my desk, I surveyed the world beyond the Electric Goldfish Bowl and was inspired by it.
     Just not in a good way.  Regard:

This dismal day.

Skies of unbroken grey.

Watching weeping windows

Sucks all life's joy away.

     What d'you think?  Not good enough to give up the paying job, but this lad Conrad shows some promise, eh?
     Meanwhile, Guy Garvey doffs his super-hero costume and goes back to writing songs with cunning lyrics -

"The Take Off And Landing Of Everything" By Elbow
I played this for the first time in ages on the bus into work today, having forgotten just how good it is.  Not a bad track on it, and several corkers*.  "New York Morning" is a real stand-out and the lyrics gave pause to your humble scribe -

"The way the begins

Decides the shade of everything"

     The day did not start well for Conrad, as the bus was late.  The driver, surely a cut above the usual press-ganged idiot without opposable thumbs, managed to make it up by Manchester city centre.

Conrad, almost ecstatic over being on time.

     Before that my internet connection had died.  This might have been a simple matter to resolve, except I had no time to do so if I didn't want to miss the bus.  As mentioned the bus was late so I could have trouble-shot anyway.  Thus I had to post my link to yesterday's posts via Facebook alone - Twitter is actively locked-out at work.
     Then the normal bus stop for my journey home was closed, thanks to roadworks.  Luckily I wasn't late, although the bus was as it's been for the past week thanks -
     - actually let's get back to Elbow.  Far less depressing than my woes.  As I was saying, "New York Morning", an epic stand out.  There manages to be an epic track on each album - "Newborn", "Grace Under Pressure", "Open Arms", "One Day Like This" - now see if I haven't given their record label a bright idea when they leave ...

"Big Money" By P G Wodehouse
This chap is responsible for my almost missing my stop this morning.  I only looked up from it's pages as we were driving by the Chinese Supermarket.
     It kind of ends, rather than finishes.  The Biscuit and Berry Conway are about to make a killing on the stock market thanks to their inside knowledge of copper mines and a cheque presented to them for two thousand pounds.  Berry is back with Ann, T J Frisby is engaged to Aunt Vera and even Lord Hoddesden is in funds.

A big pile of money.

     And then it ends, without any of our protagonists seeing any of that Big Money.
     I wonder, is there a sequel?  Or do Berry and The Biscuit crop up again, grimly holding onto their Big Money?
     I know, I know, it's rather rash of me to bring up this idea at the end of a post rather than resolving it beforehand, except I've come home late and - well, time's winged chariot and all that guff.

Up there, mate, that's where you look.  At times winged chariot, not the dancing floozies.

"Where Eagles Dare"
I finished watching this last night, although I shall be merciful and not subject you to a blow-by-blow analysis, and also to say that the last 45 minutes mean, were you to play the WED Drinking Game, you'd be unable to see to finish it.
     Anyway.  Why does Major Smith trot the traitors around with his merry band of desperadoes?  He's already killed one of them, indirectly and quite ruthlessly.  Why not go for the hat-trick?  These traitors, you know, you can't trust 'em.  Why, give 'em a chance and - well, take a look:

"I'm telling you, I'd kill for a bacon butty!"

     Then there's the doorway to the cable-car control room.  Bear in mind that there has been no gunplay in here - probably the only room in Schloss Adler that can say that by this point - and yet there's a patch of bullet-pocked wall.  Viz:

On the right.  Am I right?

     Conrad suspects that this scene was shot after The Gunfight and recycled some prop wall.  
     Then there is practical proof that the British blockade has affected Nazi Germany's war industry, as the Wehrmacht seems to be running short of rifles -

The MP40 tended to be issued to NCO's - perhaps one man in five

    And do you know the most shocking thing of all?  Over on the "Goofs" page on IMDB, there is not ONE SINGLE REFERENCE to the anachronistic Sixties tracked vehicles.  "Oh, that badge is worn in the wrong place" "Actually that bomb-timer didn't exist then" "I say that bandage displays different amounts of blood -"  THE FOOLS!  WHY CAN'T THEY SEE!  

Tom, A Man Of Rare Taste And Distinction
My work colleague Tom is a chap after my own heart, only rarely bothering to take voice and utter blandishments or banter, instead dedicating himself with immense focus on the job.  
     Not sure entirely what his job is, mind, but he gives it 110% commitment.  Today he was forced to sit next to Conrad instead of opposite, which by default got him the job of Prime Prod**.  He was impressed - nay, VERY impressed! - when I scarfed down my corking* Banana Flavoured Twinky in front of him.
     Tom, it seems, is also a fan of the Twinky, yet waxed wrathful and perplexed at how expensive they are.
     "Ten pounds per box in Tesco!" he scolded.
     "Argmmmfshhhwhshpfffl," I replied, mouth full of Banana Flavoured Twinky.
     "It's because they have to import them," continued Tom, not really paying attention to my less than coherent responses.
     "Nnnddedthhyshhhprprrr B and M," I managed, swallowing.
     "They should build a Twinky-manufacturing plant in Britain," declared Tom, visions of cheap Twinky's dancing before him -

£3 the box at B & M, Tom

Blimey, I do seem to have wittered on rather.  Over 1,000 words.  Sorry***!



* This means they are outstandingly good.
** Poking Conrad awake with a bamboo skewer.
*** Not really.