Goodbye 2025

It’s that time of the year, dear reader, where I try to sum up the year that is about to be filed in the annals of history while thinking ahead to the new year. 2025 marks the end of my first full year of retirement and it was special for that reason. I spent the year enjoying not working. Gone are the days when I had to deal with constant deadlines and office politics. 

It is very relaxing and I am much happier for it. 

On the other hand, I promised myself that I would try to keep my mind and body active and I think I have managed to achieve that with a routine that has given me some purpose. That said, I am still thinking about what to do in 2026 and also still learning about what is out there for an old git like me. 

The best way to summarise the year is to be guided by a set of questions that hopefully cover what happened in 2025. 

Here goes. 

1. What did you do in 2025 that you’d never done before?

I gained a daughter-in-law.

My eldest son got married earlier this month in a small ceremony in Manchester with just close family members attending. They are going to have a big celebratory party in 2026 but for the purposes of the wedding they wanted to keep it small and special. 

I also joined Lancashire Cricket Club so that I use my free time in the summer relaxing while watching a peaceful cricket match. I managed to see Lancashire play and also attended a couple of England games, including a very lively and very exciting test match against India. 

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Yes I did, largely. The routine I set up last year helped me battle against procrastination. Over the day or so I will be looking at extending the routine to perhaps bring in a few more resolutions. One that I particularly want to do is to expand my reading a little by making time to read non-fiction books about subjects that interest me, in particular science subjects. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

I know that my new daughter-in-law’s sister gave birth to a son but I’m not 100% sure that is was in 2025 or not. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes, sadly. 

Mrs PM’s step mother sadly passed away in November at the age of 76. It was a real shock to us because we went for a meal with her a few days before it happened. I will miss her. 

5. What countries did you visit?

We had a great year for travel in 2025. 

In February we visited the Spanish island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It was my first visit there. 

In May, we took Mrs PM’s mother to Valletta in Malta. 

In June, we visited Nice, which is one of our favourite cities in France and on one day we took the train to what is another country, Monaco. 

Finally, we took a cruise with some close friends of ours and visited Greece and Turkey. I was particularly pleased to have visited Athens for the first time. 

Here are a few holiday snaps. 

Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

Sunset in Playa Blanca

Boats in Valletta, Malta

A Fountain in Valletta

A Dream Theater tribute band in Nice

A nice car in Monaco

Sunset in Greece

Mrs PM, PM and two cruise buddies

6. What would you like to have in 2026 that you lacked in 2025?

For this question last year, I asked for a better summer than usual. I think somebody divine must have read it because we were granted with a really good summer with several heat waves and much less rain. Of course, in typical fashion, the lack of rain meant that some parts of the UK were told to be very careful with their water usage. However, we are in Manchester so there was enough rain to keep the water supplies at the appropriate level. 

For 2026? I am still waiting for that elusive lottery win. 

7. What dates from 2024 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

December 13th is a great date because that’s when I gained a daughter-in-law and officially became a father-in-law. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Making an average of 10,000 steps per day in 2025. 

I can say this is done because even if I don't walk tomorrow that target is in the bag. That's an average of 5 miles per day and about 1825 miles walked in the year. Maybe I will aim for 2000 miles in total in 2026 - but we shall see. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

I’m still trying to draw myself away from politics in an attempt to be more positive but it is difficult to do so with the trends that are happening worldwide. When I watch You Tube for example, I find that the “algorithm” is offering me political opinions that I really shouldn’t take any notice of. It is difficult and I really need to have more self-control and not end up following these trails of pain that lead me into territory where I start getting really angry. 

It's a battle that I will no doubt continue to fight in 2026. 

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I had a couple of colds but nothing more than that.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The holidays were a great purchase, particularly the Aegean cruise. I also bought a little desk tidy unit that fits snugly next to my desk and makes it much less cluttered. Actually, Mrs PM bought that for me, so not sure whether that counts. 

Oh, and I bought a new smart watch.  

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

As usual, I award Plastic Mancunian Knighthoods to those heroes who dedicate their lives to helping others without wanting the plaudits that many more famous people crave.

I salute you all - you know who you are.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

Well that is a really easy question to answer. 

Donald Trump continues to turn America into a dangerous place to be and in his second term he is breaking more rules than he did before and making a much bigger mess than he did during his first term. He is a typical malignant narcissist who has created around himself an alternate world where truth doesn’t exist unless it favours him and his views. 

Likewise we have Nigel Farage in the UK who is slowly but surely trying to create a divisive narrative in the UK with Trumpian values that echo what Trump is doing in the US. Sadly, he is gaining in popularity and that is very dangerous for the UK. 

And of course we have other dangerous lunatics in the world, like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. 

This is why I am trying to shield myself from politics because my anger is rising as I type. 

Let’s pause while I walk away and take some very deep breaths. 

14. Where did most of your money go?

Definitely holidays this year – as is also the case in other years. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I was excited about my holidays but also I saw some amazing and varied gigs this year. 

Rock gigs I went to were: Zakk Sabbath (an all star tribute to Black Sabbath including Zakk Wilde, Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist), The Wildhearts, The Black Spiders, two tribute festivals and a tribute gig in Manchester, Nine Inch Nails, Ugly Kid Joe, The Eureka Machines, Ricky Warwick, The Stranglers and The Offspring. 

Pop gigs I went to were: Absolute Bowie (a David Bowie tribute band), Massive Attack, Bjorn Again, Heaven 17, Squeeze and Madness.  

16. What song will always remind you of 2025?

I discovered a couple of new bands, the most prominent being an Italian progressive rock band called Kingcrow. I loved their album Hopium (which was released in 2024) and here is a great song from that album:

I am a huge fan of Riverside and the genius behind that band, Mariusz Duda has a side project called Lunatic Soul that released a new album this year. Here is a beautiful song from that album called The Prophecy:

Other great albums released this year that I loved are:

Dream Theater – Parasomnia

The Wildhearts – The Satanic Rites of the Wildhearts

Steven Wilson – The Overview

Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares (soundtrack)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?

I am happier definitely because it is my first full year of retirement. 

I am about the same in terms of weight – just slightly overweight with a BMI of just over 26. 

I am probably about the same financially too – maybe slightly poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

I’m quite happy with what I did last year but maybe I could have been a little more adventurous.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I am desperately trying to avoid getting drawn into the world of politics because it makes me angry. I tried to step back and ignore it in 2025 and discovered that you can’t really do that unless you ignore the news. I can’t do that and certain “leaders” made me rant when I am trying to become more laid back. At least these days, I try not to talk about politics with other people – and that is helping a little. 

20. How will you spend New Year's Eve?

We are having a small New Year’s party at a mate's house in Sale. 

21. Did you fall in love in 2025?

I was already in love in 2025. 

22. What was your favourite TV program?

I am currently enjoying the second season of Peacemaker and am watching Parks and Recreation for the first time which is fun. I will be watching the final series of Stranger Things next year.

I really enjoyed Daredevil Reborn and Dexter: Resurrection. 

I think I will name the last two as joint winners. 

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don’t hate anyone but there are certain people who really really push me to the limit. I mention them all the time so I won’t give them any more airspace this year. 

24. What was the best book you read?

I enjoyed Mr Mercedes by Stephen King which I read for the first time. I will also be watching the series in 2026.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I would say, Kingcrow as mentioned above. But I also discovered a band called Volbeat who have been around for years and I hadn’t heard of them until I saw a tribute band for them. 

26. What did you want and get?

I wanted to have a few holidays in my first year of retirement – and I got exactly that. 

27. What did you want and not get?

That elusive lottery win that I am still waiting for. 

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

I would say Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. It was a great way to end a great series of films. 

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

At my time of life, birthdays have virtually no importance. This year I was 63 years old and I was travelling back from a cruise on the Aegean Sea. 

30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

As I said, it was my first full year of retirement and I know that I made exactly the right decision. 

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2025?

My fashion sense was and remains non-existent. Perhaps the only thing I bought this year that makes any difference is a new three piece suit for my son’s wedding. 

32. What kept you sane?

Mrs PM of course. 

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I don’t really “fancy” celebrities (for many reasons) but I recently saw Kate Beckinsale and Gillian Anderson and they both looked lovely, so I will share the honour between those two ladies. 

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Where to start without ranting …

See my answer to 13 above. 

35. Who did you miss?

I will miss Mrs PM’s step mother. We got on really well and it is such a shame to have lost her. 

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Nobody leaps to mind.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025.

My retirement routine works and I plan to tweak it in 2026. 

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

With question 13 in mind …

The righteous rise with burning eyes

Of hatred and ill-will

Madmen fed on fear and lies

To beat, and burn, and kill

They say there are strangers who threaten us

Our immigrants and infidels

They say there is strangeness too dangerous

In our theatres and bookstore shelves

Those who know what's best for us

Must rise and save us from ourselves

Quick to judge, quick to anger

Slow to understand

Ignorance and prejudice

And fear, walk hand in hand

And finally...

I wish everyone who stumbles across this blog post a very happy and fruitful 2026. May all your wishes come true – unless your name is Nigel Farage or Donald Trump. 

Faves

Welcome to a sunny but chilly South Manchester with six days to go until Christmas Day. 

We have a busy Christmas planned this year. We’re visiting friends in Chester tomorrow, then travelling to Blackpool on Tuesday, returning on Christmas Eve, spending the day at our house with my two sons, my new daughter-in-law and my mother-in-law before returning to Blackpool on Boxing Day. I return from Blackpool the day afterwards and am going to a gig in Manchester entitled “Christmas in Valhalla” featuring five heavy metal tribute bands. 

After that I can relax until New Year’s Eve. 

There is just time to answer some silly questions from Sunday Stealing (with the word “favourite” modified throughout to reflect the correct English spelling rather than the favoured American spelling). 

1. Describe your favourite cake.

My favourite cake is Black Forest Gateau but I only have it in restaurants these days if it is available. We don’t have it at home because Mrs PM is allergic to eggs and if she eats it, it makes her feel queasy. We discovered this about four years ago, when she brought a huge one for Christmas during the pandemic. We were locked down and she decided not to have any more, which left me trying to scoff it before the “use by” date expired. I absolutely loved the cake but it was tough eating so much of it. 

I dread to think how many pounds I added to my body weight. 

2. Think of the best party you've ever attended. Were you a host or a guest?

I’ve been to a lot of parties and all of them have been fun so it is difficult to recall which one was the best. I was almost certainly a guest because I find hosting a party quite stressful, which means that I don’t enjoy them as much. 

3. When you choose a greeting card, do you pay more attention to the words or the pictures?

I usually choose a card that has a funny picture because I much prefer them to boring cards. The last one I bought was for my son’s wedding and etiquette demands that such cards are boring and, in my opinion, a little stuffy. That was a one off and I paid more attention to the words. For birthday cards I always choose a card with a funny image – even for Mrs PM – because such cards are more fun. 

I don't send Chrsitmas cards anymore. 

4. What's your favourite holiday?

Okay – I am assuming that this is what American’s mean by “holiday” rather than the British version. 

In the UK a “holiday” means a trip somewhere, i.e. the equivalent of an American “vacation”. Correct me if I am wrong but an American “holiday” is something like Christmas or Thanksgiving. In the UK we don’t have Thanksgiving but we definitely have Christmas and that, dear reader, is my favourite. The reason stems from the recent days when I used to work because I always chose to have two weeks off to join in the festivities and forget about the daily grind for a fortnight. Now I am retired, I still love Christmas because everyone is happy, there are lots of get-togethers and we see people we haven’t seen for a while. 

5. Who is your favourite character on your favourite TV show?

It’s difficult to choose my favourite TV show so I will list a couple that I am watching at the moment. 

The first is an American sitcom called “Parks and Recreation”. I had heard that it is really funny, so Mrs PM and I decided to watch it during her lunch breaks (she is still working and works from home). We are currently up to series 3. My favourite character is probably Ron Swanson, the boss. 

I’m also watching season 2 of The Peacemaker and, of course, the best character is Peacemaker himself. Be aware that the clip below contains bad language.

Finally, I’m watching a Scottish sitcom called Still Game from the early 2000s that I hadn’t seen before until a friend of mine pointed it out. The two old men who are the main characters are both brilliant. Here’s a clip but again beware, there is some fruity language in it (if you can understand the accents, that is). 

And finally …

I would like to wish everyone who stumbles upon this a post a Merry Christmas. I hope you have a great and relaxing time snuggled up against the fire. Of course, if you are Australian, you can pop out and enjoy the summer sun – and please take pity on me and don’t mention the cricket. 

It's Me - Yet Again

 

Welcome to a cold but sunny South Manchester day. We are fast approaching the shortest day of the year, which will occur in nine days’ time. The sun will rise at 08:23 in the morning and will set at 15:51, which means that we will only get 7 hours and 28 minutes of daylight. The good news is that the days start to get longer after that we have Christmas and New Year to look forward to. 

You’ve got to look at the positives of every situation, right? 

Let’s dive into some Sunday Stealing shenanigans. 

1. What one word describes your personality?

Weird.

That is of course my own personal opinion and, sometimes, that of Mrs PM too who often implores me to “Stop being weird!” I have met a lot of people who are a lot weirder than I am but I think that adjective does just about sum me up.   

2. What's the best way to get on your good side?

Buy me a beer or a coffee and have a chat to me. 

The fact that I will accept the beer tells you that I am willing to try to get to know you or perhaps forgive you for a misdemeanour. If I don’t like you, I will still try to be nice to you on the surface because I do regard myself as a nice guy. Nevertheless I will try to avoid you and I probably wouldn’t accept the beer or coffee, making an excuse to avoid it. 

3. What person do you feel most comfortable with?

I feel comfortable with a lot of people but the person I feel most comfortable with is, unsurprisingly, Mrs PM. She is the person from planet Earth that knows me best – hence, as I said above, she will say “Stop being weird”.

4. Do you handle criticism well?

Yes, if it is deserved, constructive and if I can learn from it. Sometimes it is good to be honest and if I am being an arse I would rather be told about it. 

5. Are you the type to tell someone, if asked, that their pants DO make them look fat?  

Absolutely not. Mrs PM sometimes asks for my opinion about clothes she wants to buy and I hate it when she does because she says things like “Be honest with me”. I would never say that something makes people look fat, even if it really did. I would choose to be more subtle or more delicate by saying “No – but I prefer the one you tried on before. That really suits you.” Or pehaps I would just look puzzled for a second or two and then shake my head without saying anything else. 

Top 10 David Coverdale Songs

 

I recently heard that one of my musical heroes has finally decided to hang up his microphone and officially retire. That man is David Coverdale, the man behind the rock band Whitesnake. I’ve been listening to his music for most of my life and whenever I hear some of his songs, it takes me back to earlier chapters of my life. 

I have seen him live at least ten times and he is one of those frontmen who is entertaining and fascinating to watch. 

He first crossed my radar back in the 1970’s when Whitesnake were a new band who played a kind of blues rock that I really enjoyed. Around that time I also learned that he had been in the band Deep Purple, replacing Ian Gillan as vocalist . Those were very big shoes to fill. 

After his stint with Deep Purple, he formed Whitesnake and gradually the band become more popular in the UK with a few top 20 hits. It wasn’t, however, until the mid-1980’s when he changed the band’s style and they took off massively in America. 

David Coverdale became a huge rock star and Whitesnake became massively famous. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to see him in both eras of the band, from those early bluesier days or Whitesnake to the later more American hard rock phase. I’ve seen some amazing musicians play live in the band including, legendary drummers Cozy Powell and Ian Paice, incredible guitarist Steve Vai and of course John Lord, former Deep Purple keyboard player.  

When it comes to his music, I have to say that I prefer Whitesnake’s earlier style of music before they became a huge band. Nevertheless, the later albums were still really good too. 

I thought I would offer my list of favourite ten songs featuring David Coverdale, including his days with Deep Purple and his one-off project with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page. 

10. Don’t Leave Me This Way – Coverdale/Page (from Coverdale/Page – 1993)

The album Coverdale/Page wasn’t really that well received and I think that view is unfair. The album is really good and has some really strong songs. Jimmy Page is a fantastic guitar player and I think David Coverdale’s voice complemented the guitar really well. My favourite song from the album is a really amazing piece of heavy blues. 

9. Ain’t Gonna Cry No More – Whitesnake (from Ready an’ Willing – 1980)

I still consider the classic line up of Whitesnake to be the that from the first four albums with Bernie Marsden and Micky Moody on guitars and Jon Lord on keyboards. This is a lovely song from that era that starts off slowly and melodically before evolving into a heavier song. 

8. Till the Day I Die – Whitesnake (from Come an’ Get It – 1981)

In some ways. This song is very similar to the last one. Again it follows the formula of starting off slowly and melodically, evolving into a slightly heavier affair. I love listening to Jon Lord’s keyboards towards the end of the song. 

7. Still of the Night – Whitesnake (from 1987 – 1987)

In 1987, Whitesnake completely changed their style from being the blues rock band I had grown up with to a more hard rock hair metal band. When I first heard the only thing that told me the band was Whitesnake were David Coverdale’s unique vocals. The entire band had been replaced apart from him and that made me sad. I guess he felt that the band had to evolve but it was a shame in my opinion. That said, I think Still of the Night is a brilliant song and there are elements of the previous style throughout the song. 

6. Crying in the Rain – Whitesnake (from Saints & Sinners – 1982)

David Coverdale felt the need to rerecord a new version of this song for the album 1987, turning it from a bluesy rock song into a hard rock version. And I don’t know why he did this. The original version is a masterpiece and in my opinion didn’t need to evolve to satisfy a more American market. He also did a similar thing with Fool For Your Loving and again the new version lost something. This version of Crying in the Rain is vastly superior. 

5. Slow an’ Easy – Whitesnake (from Slide It In 1983)

The first time I saw Whitesnake was in 1984 while at university in Liverpool and it featured John Sykes on guitar, Jon Lord on keyboard and Cozy Powell on drums. It was an amazing gig and I loved watching the band perform this song live.

4. Blindman – Whitesnake (from Ready an’ Willing – 1980)

Blindman highlights just what a great voice David Coverdale has. I think it is a beautiful song and perhaps should have been released as a single. I don’t know what the criteria is for such decisions but I imagine that the band and/or producers thought that the world didn’t need a beautiful blues song to help it along. That’s such a shame.

Like a blind man I can feel the heat of the sun

But like a blind man I don’t know where it’s coming from

3. Take Me With You – Whitesnake (from Trouble – 1978)

Take Me With You is a great rock song and is the first song on the first album. While the studio version is a great song in its own right, the live version from the live album “Live … In the Heart of the City” is even better. 

2. Burn – Deep Purple (from Burn – 1973)

Ian Gillan is a great vocalist but he left Deep Purple when the band was at its peak with the famous “Mark II” lineup. The arrival of David Coverdale on vocals and Glenn Hughes on bass/backing vocals marked the start of the “Mark III” lineup and as I said earlier, David Coverdale had big shoes to fill. The album Burn is a great album and the title track is just magnificent. With Ritche Blackmore on guitar, this version of Deep Purple wrote some great songs, but none greater than Burn.

1. – Don’t Break My Heart Again (from Come an’ Get It – 1981)

The album “Come an’ Get It” holds a special place in my heart. It was released in April 1981 and that was a pivotal year for me. It is the year that I did my A-levels, my final year at school, the year I started going to the pub with my mates and the year that I started university. It is also the year that my dad died. 

This particular song takes me back through all of those memories, both euphoric and miserable and I like to look back in a positive way, despite everything that happened. I used to play the album on Saturday night before I caught the bus with my old mate Simon and the song would play in my head. It’s definitely a nostalgia trip and I am sure that other Whitesnake fans would disagree with me. I don’t care. It brings back bittersweet memories for me. 

And finally …

I hope you have a fantastic and long retirement Mr Coverdale. You’ve earned it. 

Thanks for the songs and the memories. 

Scare Tale

Welcome to South Manchester on a very rainy early December Saturday. I was at yet another gig last night – the penultimate one of 2025 – and I saw Madness, a pop band from the 1980’s who, after all this time, are still performing. It was a real blast from the past.

I think Madness are only well known in the UK and haven’t really drifted towards the States (I may be wrong here), probably because they are a slightly eccentric band (as the name suggests). They are known as “The Nutty Boys” because all of their songs are light-hearted and their videos are funny. 

Here is a taste. 

I missed the FIFA World Cup draw because of the gig but in a way I am very glad I did. Apparently it was a total farce and the president of FIFA even presented the Orange Goblin with the inaugural FIFA “Peace Prize” presumably to satisfy his huge ego after the Nobel committee quite rightly decided that there is no way on God’s Earth that Donald Trump could receive the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Watching America from afar at the moment is like watching a soap opera with the Orange Blimp at the centre of it all. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so scary. 

Anyway, sorry for that political mini-rant; let’s answer some daft questions from Sunday Stealing. 

1. What was the scariest thing in the world to you when you were a kid? Does it still scare you now?

I was terrified of anything that was related to Satan, including and especially vampires. My dad allowed me to watch “Dracula” the Hammer horror version with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. I was twelve years old. You may think he was cruel but he did this to teach me a lesson because I constantly pestered him about it. The film scared me shitless and I hardly slept for a couple of nights. 

I think the root of my fear was the fact that at that time I was in the middle of a sixteen year indoctrination into the Roman Catholic church. I went to a Roman Catholic junior school until the age of ten and all the teachings were (and still are) in my head. To me, the vampire mythos was terrifying and vampires were demons from the bowels of hell itself. 

It wasn’t just vampires. I watched another Hammer horror film as a slightly older kid called “The Devil Rides Out” based on a novel by Dennis Wheatley and that too was terrifying because it featured Satan himself. 

Worse, I watched “The Omen” and that movie had further elements about the Catholic church and the Antichrist himself. The final straw was The Exorcist, which I saw at the age of 18 and is still the scariest movie I have ever seen, because it deals with demonic possession and all that entails. 

These days, I have a more rational and scientific mind. I haven’t been a regular churchgoer since the age of 16 and I question everything now, particularly the roles of God and Satan in my life. I don’t want to start a post on religion because it can be a very divisive subject to debate but the bottom line is that my logical and scientific mind makes me question everything.  

What I do know is that vampires do not exist and I seriously doubt if the demons and other hellish entities do either. I now embrace horror fiction and I have loved rewatching those old movies with a clearer and less indoctrinated brain. 

That said – I have only seen The Exorcist that one time. It scared me so much that I am actually wary about watching it again. I guess some of that fear still exists.

2. Imagine your 12-year-old daughter (or granddaughter) is hosting a sleepover at your home. A sudden storm knocks out cellphone service, wifi and cable. How would you keep these suddenly unplugged pre-teens entertained?

 When my kids were that age, we used to play board games such as Monopoly. At one point I had three different versions of it; a Manchester one, a Star Wars one and a Simpson’s one. It was good fun. 

These days there are so many board games that I can barely keep up with them. I think such things could keep a twelve year old entertained for a few hours. 

3. What piece of movie or TV memorabilia would you love to own?

Way back in 1989, I went to the United States for the first time and on that trip, I visited Universal Studios in Los Angeles which I thoroughly enjoyed. Two things stuck with me from that trip. 

The first were props from the 1960’s TV show Land of the Giants, one in particular being an giant telephone. The second was KITT, the car from Knight Rider, which was parked on a little island on it’s own. I crossed the bridge to have my photo taken with it and it started talking to me, opening with:

“Are you just going to stand there putting your dirty fingerprints all over my bodywork or are you going to have a chat?”

So from that trip, I would have both the phone and KITT. 

And of course, I am a huge fan of Dr Who and from that show, perhaps a replica TARDIS and a Dalek. 

All of this is straight out of the Big Bang Theory and I know that I haven’t enough room for any of them really. Besides, Mrs PM would never allow it. 

4. You are gifted with the services of a personal assistant for four hours. What would you ask your assistant to do?

 I have a few things on my “To Do” list that I need to do but haven’t got around to doing yet (because of a melange of laziness and procrastination). I think there is about four hours work there – and if there isn’t I would ask Mrs PM to fill up the remaining time from her “To Do” list. 

5. If literary characters were real, which one would you like to interview, and what would you ask?

I would probably interview the “Time Traveller” from “The Time Machine” by H. G. Wells. In that book he travels forward in time from 1895 to the year 802,701. The first thing I would ask him would be “Can I have a go?” followed closely by “Why didn’t you travel into the past instead?”

It's Me ... Again

 Welcome to South Manchester on a cold and wet November morning. On days like this I think of Guns ‘n’ Roses song November Rain because that’s what it looks like outside. The rain is cold, the sky is overcast and it looks dark despite the fact that it is midday. 

We are descending inexorably towards winter like a runaway train, which means long cold nights, dull overcast days and lots of rain and stormy weather. 

I hate winter, I really do. 

Nevertheless, there are good things on the horizon. Christmas is just around the corner and I get to escape the inhospitable weather in late January because we are off to Malaysia and Hong Kong. It is all booked and paid for and we are off for jabs next week. 

Last night I was at yet another gig, this time I was with Mrs PM and we saw Heaven 17, a pop band from the early 1980’s who were big in the UK (not sure about the rest of the world). It was a real blast from the past and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Here is an example of their work. 

Let’s dive in and answer some silly questions from Sunday Stealing. 

1. Has anyone ever told you "I love you" but you didn't say it back?

I have no idea. I hear people say “that’s why we love you” sometimes, usually when we are making fun of each other and it is nothing more than platonic tomfoolery. 

It’s a rare thing to hear somebody say “I love you” while staring deeply into your eyes. On those occasions I have actually said it back because they have been romantic situations. 

2. Do you consider yourself organized?

I am fairly organised but I can be totally disorganised. I usually know where everything is even in the chaotic parts of my house. I have several storage boxes in my loft clearly labelled to state what is inside (for example “University stuff”) and I have an “in tray” of sorts on my desk that looks disorganised but really is in a sort of chaotic order. Every so often I sort through it and put things in the places they belong. I know exactly where all of my important documents are and, for example, when I am going on a trip, I usually make sure that everything I need is ready at least a couple of days before the trip. 

3. Where do you look first when you go clothes shopping?

I tend to do my cloths shopping online these days and I usually dive in every couple of months to do this with a clear list of what I need to get. There is an exception though. My eldest son is getting married in December and I bought a new three piece suit specifically for that, which meant a trip to the shops. It was relatively easy but I realised when I was trying the thing on why I hate cloths shopping so much. 

4. Do you often reflect on your past in terms of eras or milestones ("it's been 10 years since X happened")?

I do this all the time. For example, we had a university reunion in Liverpool a couple of weeks ago and all of us were saying “It’s 41 years since we left university” and “I’ve known you for 45 years – how scary is that?”

It’s been 41 years since I started work and I retired exactly 40 years later to the actual day. You can probably work out with simple maths that I have been retired a year now. 

I will probably continue remembering my past life in terms of milestones. I think it’s the way my mind works. 

5. Were you more recently ill or injured (flu vs. twisted ankle)?

I was more recently ill – but not that ill. I had a cold a couple of weeks ago, the first one of winter. It was irritating but it didn’t stop me from doing anything. I’ve noticed a couple of people coughing recently so I imagine that another will appear in the winter months. 

Exposed

 

Welcome to a sunny South Manchester where sky is blue, the clouds are white yet the Autumn temperature is a chilly 8°C (46 °F). It’s been a busy weekend for me and that will culminate with my going to a gig this evening at the Manchester AO Arena. 

The band I am going to see is The Offspring. Do you remember them? If you don’t, here they are:

Enough of that. Let’s dive into some silly questions from Sunday Stealing. 

1. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

I think that I would be some form of cat, either a domestic cat but more likely an apex predator like a lion. Either way, I think cats have a great life. In the house they are pampered by their owners (or should I say slaves) but in the wild, the rule their environment. I think life would be good in either case. 

2. Are you generous?

I am quite generous, yes. I’m not stupid about it but I like to help people in any way I can. 

3. Of the following, which consistently gives you the most pleasure: a) music, b) money, c) books, d) science, e) spirituality, f) food and wine, g) movies?

All of them give me immense pleasure apart from, perhaps, spirituality, because I am not that spiritual. I used to be, when I was a child (as a Roman Catholic), but I have a scientific and analytical mind and spirituality and religion don’t really fit into that way of thinking.   

Money allows me to enjoy all of them so really, I guess I could argue that without that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the rest of them. But I am not a greedy person and while it is nice to have money, I do not actively seek to fill my coffers out of pure voracity. I just want enough to enjoy music, books, food, wine/beer and movies. 

4. Describe your dancing ability.

I was recently at a friend’s wedding and the bride came over to me during the after wedding party. She said “Why aren’t you dancing?”.

I wanted to say “Because the music is crap!” but I didn’t. I told her that I didn’t know the song, which was, strictly speaking true because it was some hip-hop R’n’B dancey tune that I couldn’t identify. 

“That doesn’t matter,” she replied grabbing my hand. 

I couldn’t refuse to dance with the bride now, could I? It was after all her big day. 

So I joined her on the dance floor and did my usual trick which to try to listen to the words and “act them out” in a silly manner. This was difficult because I didn’t really know the words. But then a new song came on that I knew. 

And I danced to it is a really silly way. 

The bride approached me and said “You have some good moves”.

I took that as a compliment but I was just joking around. 

My style of dancing has bitten me though. At a company Christmas party several years ago, I was a little merry and I found myself dancing with a group of people to “Like a Prayer” by Madonna. I started to dance out the words and one of my mates joined in the fun. 

And then the words “I’m down on my knees I want to take you there” came out, so we both plunged to our knees.

And it bloody hurt. 

I couldn’t get up for a few seconds. My mate, who is much younger and fitter than me was back up standing, laughing his head off. I managed to stand up and Mrs PM came over and told both of us off, him for laughing and me for being a bloody idiot. I limped off the dance floor like scolded puppy.

So, yes, I can dance. I dance like an idiot but in the chaos, there are some good moves (apparently).  

5. What do you think your worst enemy really thinks of you?

I have no idea who my worst enemy is. I am sure that there are people out there who don’t like me but if I sense that in people I avoid them. They probably think that I am a weird, geeky, boring idiot. And they are probably right. But I embrace that. I am not going to change for them. 

These days I don't really car what people think of me. 

6. Can you tell when someone is lying to you?

Sometimes. I have an analytical mind so I can sometimes spot contradictions and flaws when people are lying to me.

I heard recently that the best way to tell if someone is lying to you is to stay quiet and let them slowly dig themselves into a hole. I think, as a technique, it probably works. 

7. Describe how it feels to fall in love.

It feels amazing but I can’t really tell you any specifics. It kind of looms up on you and takes you by surprise. 

8. In deadly peril, what three people would you want in a foxhole with you?

I would choose survivalist specialist Bear Grylls because he would be able to keep us alive. I would choose a young Chuck Norris character because nobody messes with Chuck Norris. Finally I would choose a medical person to sort me out if I got injured. 

This gives me an excuse to dig out some Chuck Norris facts:

Chuck Norris died twenty years ago but the Grim Reaper is too scared to tell him.

Chuck Norris created a giraffe by uppercutting a horse. 

Chuck Norris drinks napalm to fight his heartburn

Chuck Norris has counted to infinity … twice

Chuck Norris is the only man who can punch you in the back of the face

9. What is your greatest weakness?

I battle constantly with procrastination, so much so that I have mentioned it a lot on this blog. 

10. If you were to live out the rest of your life as your favourite fictional character, which would you choose?

Probably somebody with super powers. I think that Harry Keogh from the Necroscope series of books by Brian Lumley. Basically, he can talk to the dead and has used that information to be able to be able to use maths and the Möbius Continuum to teleport anywhere and anywhen. Obviously I would want to be the human version before he was turned into arguably the world’s most dangerous vampire. 

See what I mean about being weird?

Madvertising

Can I just say something? No? 

Tough – I’m going to say it anyway. Here it is:

I am bloody sick of adverts.

There – I’ve said it. 

Back in the day when I was just a kid, I didn’t mind adverts too much. Some of them were funny, some of them were interesting and I regarded them as having a purpose other than just trying to sell stuff. As I grew older, I started to hate them but I know that they served a purpose for me, though this wasn’t the purpose that the marketers intended. 

Basically, when the adverts came on, I could take a break, go to the loo, make a cup of tea, etc. without missing my favourite TV programmes. With the advent of video recorders I could record TV programmes and watch them later at my own leisure and just skip the adverts. 

That made me happy. 

These days I can download TV programmes and movies to watch and I can stream them on a variety of streaming platforms. Initially I paid good money for this and as a result I got unblemished TV content that was commercial free.

That made me extremely happy.  

Recently, though, things have become really annoying. Streaming services have upped their game and started offering cheaper tariffs – but with a catch. That catch is that you are once again bombarded with commercials. In order to remove commercials I have to fork out a lot of money and this is on top of paying for my satellite/cable service and paying the mandatory TV Licence we have in the UK. 

What is the TV Licence? In the UK the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) is free of commercials because we the public have to pay an annual fee to watch it. Perhaps it was the first TV service of its kind. Even though I don’t watch the BBC as much as I used to, I still have to pay it. If you don’t pay for your TV licence, the powers that be, the TV police, can came along and either fine you £1000 (at the time of writing) or be further prosecuted. We have no choice. The money goes to the BBC who spend it on content. 

Now, if I watch something on Disney+ or Netflix with the cheaper subscription rate, I have to suffer mandatory commercials. You can’t skip them at all. Effectively I am paying to watch adverts and in order to remove them I am expected to pay a fortune. Given the number of streaming platforms, that can add up to a lot of money. 

However, these days adverts aren’t restricted to television. They are everywhere.

ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE! 

And I can’t get rid of them without paying a premium. Here are some examples:

They appear in the cinema before the movie you have paid to watch. You can avoid many of these by turning up later and hopefully missing all the adverts. 

They appear on the radio. I rarely listen to radio these days but when I do I choose BBC Radio 4, which is a news channel effectively but has no adverts. The reason I don’t listen to other stations is that most radio stations have a melange of three things that make my blood boil. First, the DJ’s are usually the kind of shiny happy people that seem to think all the listeners want to listen to their inane bullshit as they talk over records. Second, the music is not my kind of music and if by a miracle it is, the songs are spoiled and interrupted by jingles and bullshit from the DJ’s. Finally, the adverts on radio are the worst and are awful.

I watch You Tube a lot for free but this means that I have to endure adverts every couple of minutes. I like progressive rock music, which typically has longer songs and if I choose to watch, say, a Dream Theater video on You Tube that lasts 10 minutes, it is interrupted at least once with adverts. One time, I tried to use a You Tube mindfulness video to relax into to go to sleep and I was just nodding off when a bloody advert tried to persuade me to buy a new smart watch thus rendering useless the previous calming five minutes of relaxing music and guaranteeing that I was now wide awake and ranting like a banshee, which resulted in waking up Mrs PM and the cats and all the chaos that ensues when I am foolhardy enough to do that.

I am using Duolingo to help me to learn French, Spanish and German. The problem is that I spend more time watching terrible adverts for Temu and other useless apps than I do learning a new language.   

I am on Spotify and have paid for the full subscription to avoid commercials while listening to music. I am afraid that having my music interrupted by commercials is something I cannot endure. 

Other apps that I use also swamp me with terrible adverts. 

This infuriates me. 

I think we are all left with a choice. We either spend a fortune to avoid adverts or we suck it up and endure them. 

At this moment in my life, when I am a happy retired gentleman I have to learn to find the power within myself to endure these dreadful commercials because there is absolutely no way I am going to give any more of my hard-earned cash to corporations who seem to love creating the worst adverts to defecate onto my TV screen or smartphone. 

I have started making a cup of tea when the adverts come on streamed TV programmes. I have started looking at Spanish, French and German books in the minutes that are wasted by Duolingo’s adverts. 

I have found soothing commercial-free music on Spotify to help me on the way to sleep should I need to. 

I will get there but in the meantime there may be some rants along the way. 

Actually, as a final word, I can cope with spoof adverts. If there were more of these it would be much better. I’ll leave you with a couple:

Scary Shadows

Welcome to South Manchester on a Friday afternoon on Hallowe’en where the weather is not to bad – a little cloudy but rain free. 

Regular readers will know that I am not a fan of the hype that is Hallowe’en. To me it is too commercialised and American and I don’t want endless kids knocking my door saying “trick or treat”. 

I don’t mind the horror aspect of it though. Last night, for example, I watched a documentary called “Uncanny” which was really creepy and talked about a man who was being haunted by the “shadow man”, a seven foot tall figure who had no features and was described as “blacker than black” with no facial features at all, a kind of powerful-looking menacing and sinister entity that kept appearing to him after his father’s death. You could have dismissed it as imagination had several of his friends and family not seen this thing as well. 

It creeped me out and I had to watch an hour or two of comedy before I went to bed so that I could sleep easier. 

Now that is what Hallowe’en is about to me - being scared and watching scary movies and shows, not kids dressing up and asking for sweets. I guess I am the Hallowe’en equivalent of The Grinch or Ebeneezer Scrooge. I don’t care. America is welcome to this weird tradition. 

So what am I doing tonight to avoid these kids?

I’m going to Manchester city centre to have a beer and then watch, arguably the world’s greatest Abba tribute act, called “Bjorn Again” with Mrs PM and some friends. They come from Australia and have been touring the world since the late 1980’s. 

I am a closet Abba fan so I think it will be very enjoyable, certainly better than constantly answering the door to kids all night. 

Let’s answer some silly questions from Sunday Stealing, shall we? 

1. What was the last thing you laughed at?

I laugh a lot actually but the last thing I remember laughing at was excerpt from a Laurel and Hardy short that I spotted on the internet this morning. The clip was from “Helpmates”. You can watch the whole thing below but the excerpt I laughed at was two minutes from the 8 minute mark:

I love Laurel and Hardy. 

2. Who among your friends/family "gets" your sense of humour?

Mrs PM and my kids get my sense of humour as do quite a few friends. Most people I know love the typical British humour that pervades a lot of our comedy shows. We have a unique sense of humour in my country that some foreigners just don’t really get at all. The only nation that comes close to our humour is Australia because as big as the friendly rivalry between our two nations, they share our sense of humour almost exactly.

 I love comedy and I can appreciate humour of other places, like the US for example, where they have some really good comedy shows. For example, Mrs PM and I are currently enjoying “Parks and Recreation” from the America, an older show that I had only discovered this year. It is funny. 

Here is some British humour for you. 

3. What jewellery are you wearing at this moment?

Unless you count a watch as jewellery, the answer is none. 

4. If you could offer one bit of etiquette that everyone should follow while dining out, what would it be?

I’ll offer several (because I am a rebel).

Do not talk while chewing. 

Chew with your mouth closed.

Do not drink the finger bowl. 

Do not flick peas at other diners. 

Do not lick the plate clean. 

5. What's the first thing a guest would notice when they walked through your front door?

The Gene Simmons Cat picture hanging on the wall:

Top Ten Queen Songs

Queen were one of those bands that I was a fan of when I was a spotty teenager and they remained so until the untimely death of their enigmatic frontman Freddy Mercury. I loved them before they became a global phenomenon. 

I would estimate that I first heard music by them way back in 1974, when their second album, the blandly named “Queen II”, was released. It was a big hit amongst my friends at school and I didn’t really take notice of them until I heard a song called “Killer Queen” from their third album, with a much more interesting name – “Sheer Heart Attack”.

From that point I was hooked. At that point they were more of a rock band and it was only after this release that their style evolved into something more, crossing several musical boundaries, ranging from pure pop to progressive rock, from art rock to electronic disco with added symphonic rock and even operatic and orchestral tendencies in places. 

Their style was kind of unique in that anything was on the table. And being a fan of progressive music, that really resonated with me. 

My love of Queen peaked when I was lucky enough to see them perform live at Knebworth in 1986, which was the year after their legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985 and, sadly, was the very last live performance of their wonderful front man, Freddy Mercury. I was honoured to be there.

Freddy was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, and kept it quiet for four years before revealing his diagnosis publicly. Tragically, he died shortly afterwards and that was then end of Queen for me. 

The band still exists in a sense because Brian May and Roger Taylor still perform as Queen but with a guest vocalist. That, to me at least, isn’t Queen and the bass player John Deacon also agrees because he retired when Freddy died. People still go to their shows but not me. It’s not the same without Freddy. 

I enjoyed the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody” and can tolerate the inaccuracies that I know weren’t true, for example, Freddy being diagnosed with AIDS before Live Aid. I think Rami Malek’s portrayal of Freddy was incredible and he deserved his Oscar and all of the other accolades he received. 

Such is their appeal that even Mrs PM loves them and she is not traditionally a lover of rock music. We have several of their songs on our joint playlist. 

I have decided to present to you, dear reader, my favourite ten Queen songs. Again, with such a vast catalogue, many Queen fans may disagree with my choice. To be honest, that doesn’t bother me. Such is their range that I would imagine every Queen fan will select a different top ten.

And it’s really difficult. Ask me another time and I will pick a different ten.

Here’s mine:

(10)  Somebody To Love (from A Day At The Races - 1976)

The vocals on this song are exquisite and not just the harmonies. Freddie’s voice is superb throughout. I was even impressed with the version that George Michael performed at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert – although it is quite clear, comparing the two, that Freddie was a much better vocalist.

(9) Was It All Worth It? (from The Miracle - 1989)

I remember sitting in a pizza restaurant in Birmingham when for some reason this song came on as background music. I instantly recognised Freddie Mercury’s dulcet tones and assumed that it was their new single. I hadn’t heard it before and the following week I realised that they had a new album, which I promptly bought on the strength of this song alone. 

The video shows a pocket history of the bad up to the album “The Miracle”.

(8) Radio Ga Ga (from The Works – 1984)

This is a special song because it reminds me of my third and final year at university. It is also a return to form for Queen after the disappointing "Hot Space" album. I remember when they performed this at Knebworth in 1986, Freddy Mercury had the entire crowd in the palm of his hand and we all sang the chorus with him and I had a huge smile on my face. 

(7) Play The Game (from The Game – 1980)

This may surprise people but I love the melody of this song and once more Freddy’s voice is excellent. I particularly like when it veers off-piste at about the 2 minute mark. 

(6) Princes of the Universe (from A Kind of Magic - 1986)

Air guitar time. The first Highlander film was fantastic – the rest were garbage. "Princes of the Universe" is an ideal accompaniment to the first movie. It is a great rock song with brilliant guitar and pounding drums. This is a great Queen song.

(5) Gimme The Prize  (from A Kind of Magic - 1986)

Keep out your air guitar and crank up the heaviness "Gimme the Prize" is also used in the soundtrack to Highlander and shows Queen at their heaviest, which is understandable since it is the bad guy's theme. Turn up the volume and enjoy.

(4) Now I’m Here (from Sheer Heart Attack – 1974)

I love this song and it gives a taste of what’s to come in terms of the band harmonising and playing with vocals in a similar way to Bohemian Rhapsody. You can see how the band was evolving. 

(3)  Brighton Rock (from Sheer Heart Attack – 1974)

"Brighton Rock" wasn’t a single and comes from Queen’s third album "Sheer Heart Attack". While you may not regard this as chart material, it appeals to me, firstly because it is a great slice of classic rock and secondly because it shows just what an incredible guitarist Brian May is. It’s edgy, raw and brilliant. Keep your air guitar out again, dear reader – you’re gonna need it. 

If you like the song, check out the live version – it’s even better.

(2) Bohemian Rhapsody (from A Night at the Opera - 1975)

It took a while for me to like this song and I think most of the world thought the same. It was a bizarre choice for a single and a risk because nobody had done anything like it before. After hearing it a few times, I began to appreciate what a masterpiece it really is. It was probably the first progressive rock song I heard – a mini opera complete with wonderful harmonies. 

You can’t deny it is a classic and has been used to great effect in the movie "Wayne’s World": 

And also the version by the Muppets – this is funny:

(1)  The Prophet’s Song   (from A Night at the Opera - 1975)

If you like "Bohemian Rhapsody", you will absolutely love this less commercial offering from the same album. "The Prophet’s Song" is a progressive masterpiece, coming in at a cool eight minutes with incredible vocal harmonies. Sit back and enjoy the perfect Queen song.

That’s it, dear reader. 

Feel free to let me know your favourite song by Queen. 

Finally, if you like the heavier side of Queen, have a listen to this metal masterpiece from Brian May with the magnificent and legendary drummer Cozy Powell pounding hell out of the drums. It's called "Resurrection".

 

Five

Greetings from South Manchester where the Autumn chill has been banished briefly by pleasant sunshine. It’s slightly windy but the temperature is perfect for a nice walk. It’s hard to believe that November is almost upon us, especially as the clocks go back tonight, meaning I can spend an extra hour in bed (which of course the cats will not allow). 

As predicted, the western world is preparing us for Christmas despite the fact that it is two months away. We already have Christmas movies appearing on various TV channels. 

Why? 

Christmas is okay but only in December in my opinion. 

I am not Ebenezer Scrooge by the way; I’m just saying that my birthday is nowhere near to Christmas and that’s when the tsunami of Christmas nonsense starts appearing in my life. 

I will try to answer some silly questions in order to distract myself from what could turn into a mild rant. As usual the culprit is Sunday Stealing. 

FIVE things on my To-Do list:

1. We’re off to Malaysia early next year so I have to make sure that I book an appointment to check whether Mrs PM and I need to be vaccinated. We may be okay but I like to check. Can I just add that I am glad that we don’t have a nutter like RFK Jr in charge of our health over here in the UK. What is going on in America? That’s a future blog post I think. 

2. I need to join Manchester’s library network. I read books on my Kindle but there are many other services that the library can offer to a retired person like me. 

3. My laptop is starting to show signs of age and Mrs PM has kindly told me that I can use her brand spanking new all-singing all-dancing one, which means that I have to set up a user and copy all my junk across to it. She hardly uses it but I am on a laptop frequently. 

4. I have a lot of box files full of papers, old photographs etc. that I really need to sort out. I can probably discard a lot of stuff in there but, when it comes to the photos, I should probably sort them all out, discard the rubbish ones and put the rest in a bunch of photo albums. This is definitely a winter task so I will aim to start this within the next month or so. 

5. Talking of photos, I have hundreds of them in the cloud and on my laptop so I need to do something with them too. I have considered creating a photo book from the best ones. Another winter task methinks. 

FIVE snacks I enjoy:

1. Cheese on crackers/biscuits. A nice little mid-evening snack if I’m feeling peckish. 

2. Almonds. 

3. Flame raisins.

4. Apples.

5. Dark chocolate.

FIVE places I have lived:

1. Walsall – a town about 12 miles north of Birmingham. I was born there. I lived there from 1962 to 1981. 

2. Liverpool – a famous city in the north of England, where the Beatles are from. I was a student there and I love the place. I am going back for a university reunion in two weeks’ time. I lived there from 1981 to 1984. 

3. Altrincham – a town in Greater Manchester about 10 miles south west of Manchester. I lived there from 1985 to 1998. 

4. Hong Kong – I visited there many times between 1993 and 1999 with work but in 1999 I lived there for about three months while supporting the system I had worked on. 

5. Manchester – 1984 to 1985 and 1998 to the present. I love this city and becoming an honorary, if not plastic, Mancunian. I don’t plan to leave. 

FIVE jobs I have held:

1. A newsagent’s assistant when I was at school I started off delivering newspapers, but after a year, I started doing more for the owner of the shop, including stock taking, serving in the shop etc. 

2. A postman. While I was at university I became a postman at Christmas time in Walsall to help with the massive increase in volume of post during that time. I actually really enjoyed it as a job. 

3. A software developer. This was my main job from the age of 21 until I retired. Basically I spent most of my career writing software for a variety of projects but mainly (certainly for the last 30 years) software in airports. You can probably see the fruits of my labour in several airports dotted around the planet. 

4. A development database administrator, which went hand in hand with being a software developer. I was regarded as the “database expert”, though I wasn’t a full time database administrator as such but I knew a lot about it. I wrote a lot of software around the database and generally sorted out  issues with the product database as they arose. 

5. A software trainer. I’ve travelled to a few places to train the people who use our software, including the USA, Russia, China, South Africa and a couple of places in Europe. Not my favourite part of the job by a long way and was an unfortunate necessity because of my knowledge of the system.