his ribband, star, and a' that:
the man o' independent mind
he looks a' laughs at a' that
There are certain things, it seems, that as men we should own. I'm sure there are similar lists for ladies but I'm not acquainted with any such list. I stumbled upon a list recently that you may wish to peruse purely for pleasure.
I did actually spend a few minutes thinking about these items - to a certain degree, it's mainly about what's called in the guitar fraternity GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) but some of the items on the list make sense. Certainly not all. So, I thought I'd spend a few moments going through the list - much as I hope you all will.
1. I have NEVER owned a pair of brogues - I'm not sure I'd recognise a pair if I tripped over them but they look like the sort of things skinheads in the 1970s used to chase me through the mean streets of Stevenage with. I may not recognise them but I've probably felt them against my head a few times.
2. A toy - the list suggests a Strat as one of the possible "toys", so yes, I own two. Both American originals and one of them I have mentioned before, the other I bought in memory of my mother as she left me a small amount of money when she died. I have lots of toys, especially in this modern digital age, but I agree that we all need a hobby (no matter how awful we are at it).
3. Isn't that the fate of all bits of old clothing?
4. Just having a watch is enough in this day and age. Lots of younger humans can't tell the time nowadays. I'm happy with my Timex Expedition - it glows in the dark! It tells the time. Er . . .that's it.
5. I have a picture of my wife, me and our three kids on the beach nearby. I have another one of me with my eldest daughter and dad and grandad. All happy enough. I guess that now everything is Facebooked and recorded and updated every other second, that seems like it's nothing unusual.
6. My father bought me a Black and Decker drill and electric saw as a Wedding gift. The saw eventually gave up the ghost but the drill continues and is regularly put to use - even my son uses it now. Fantastic present. I must admit that the Bosch saw is much better than the original B&D one but it lasted for years and was certainly an incredibly useful piece of kit for many years. Actually, the Bosch cuts straighter.
7. Well, there always seems to be one in the house somewhere. I don't really like the stuff but it's always handy to have one around. other people like it. So they say. Useful every 31st December.
8. Well, what can you say? It's obviously a useful thing to have around - if only to order stuff from Amazon. What do you mean, you use your debit card? It's not protected whereas credit cards are, automatically.
9. Well, I've got a few of those but my favourite is an Oysterband one that says " Lord Protect Us" on the front and "From Your Followers" on the back. I've had a few "looks" from people for that one. There are some bands that it won't ever look cool wearing one - that doesn't stop some people wearing them. However, a new freshly laundered "Led Zeppelin Knebworth Road Crew" T-shirt will always look naff.
10. A good fountain pen is,indeed, a thing of wonder. Amongst the Lamy's and others, my Rotring Art Pen is still a thing of beauty. I just used it to jot down the list from the MH site. I'm not sure if it fits the list but - well, who cares?
11. The Godfather trilogy on dvd. I own it. I have watched it. However, there are better things - Once Upon A Time In America for a start. Sorry.
12. Well, what can I say? Kate Bush? Joni Mitchell circa Blue? Madelaine Smith . . . .etc
Oh yes! Good friends. How come they're not on the list? Probably the most important item.
