Tag: favourite

Favourite Month ?


What’s your favorite month of the year? Why?

My favourite month ?

That would be January. Because it is the furthest month away from the insanity that has become Christmas.

Once upon a time, Christmas was a joy restricted to December. But now, due to commercial interests, it has expanded into the whole of November and even into October.

Here in the UK it isn’t unusual to see Christmas items being rolled out in stores by mid October.

In October for God’s sake, before Halloween, which, in turn is overshadowing a truly British event, 5th November, Bonfire Night.

I find the whole run up to Christmas totally exhausting. Not only do I have family members gleefully announcing the erection of their Christmas trees, but there are non stop adverts on the TV channels, roadside hoardings and numerous TV chef shows battling for my attention, telling me the “new” best way to cook the turkey, which I detest, the best way to prepare and cook the roasties and of course how to make Christmas Pudding.

What happened to The Twelve Days of Christmas ?

The commercialism and relentless “buy me” pressure has spoilt it for me.

The only joy to be gained is to watch the kids when they open their presents. As far as I am concerned that is the main event and even that is tainted.

Once upon a time Christmas was when the special presents were deployed. Not anymore. Kids get presents all the year round. The latest merchandise craze associated with movies etc. are available immediately after the stars have walked down the red carpet at the premiere. By the time Christmas arrives, the kids already have it.

I apologise for all this negativity but I feel that we all have truly lost the plot.

So that is why January is my favourite month. Even that will be spoilt by some lunatic telling me that there are only 359 days until Christmas.

Aagh !!!

What Is My All-Time Favourite Album ?


What’s your all-time favorite album?

Such a hard question to answer.

My first response is “On The Threshold Of A Dream” by The Moody Blues first released in 1969. I certainly play this a lot so much so that I am on my 2nd vinyl copy, the first having worn out. I still listen to the album, but these days, I stream, using Tidal or Spotify.

A more considered response leads me to offer up “Foxtrot” by Genesis first released in 1972. I still have my original vinyl version but also have it on CD. Genesis are a band that I used to see live every time they visited Portsmouth. Pretty much an annual event, either at Portsmouth Guildhall or South Parade Pier.

Many other albums are jostling for that favourite spot. Amongst them, some of the great classics. “Dark Side Of The Moon” and “Echoes” by Pink Floyd, “Led Zeppelin II” and “IV”, “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull, “Tapestry” by Carole King, and the list goes on and on.

So to truly answer the question, I think “Foxtrot” by Genesis take the honour, but only just.

Music is such an emotive subject, and to nominate a favourite will always be coloured by how one is feeling, ones mood at any given time.

Ask me again tomorrow.

Some Of My Favourite Films


What are your top ten favorite movies?

Choose your top ten movies ! An almost impossible task. Like music, your enjoyment of a film is affected by your mood at the time. So here goes, here are my “current” favourites ….

  • Gunga Din
  • Dirty Harry
  • Arsenic and Old Lace
  • Zulu
  • North by North West
  • Bullitt
  • The Man Who Would Be King
  • The French Connection
  • True Grit (John Wayne version)
  • The Italian Job (Michael Caine version)

My list is not definitive. Nor is it in any particular order. Ask me again tomorrow, and I’ll probably choose some different films. Even as I look back I’m thinking I should have included more recent releases.

Where are the Star Wars and Pink Panther series !!! I missed out Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles and many more that have given me great pleasure over the years.

Note that I have selected the original versions of True Grit and The Italian Job. These are in my eyes classic movies, and the remakes don’t do them justice. They are not a shadow of the originals.