Reasons to be Cheerful

16.04.20 – Darrell Priestley

At a time like now, it might just be fun to take an idle half hour and think of all the positives you can cram into 30 minutes of mental meandering. If you can’t think of anything, you’re probably not trying hard enough. So, to start us off, let’s celebrate not having to use the car all the time. It’s just ironic that, now we are not driving, the roads are empty, and to add insult to petrol is now cheaper than for decades. Place, tyre wear is now at a minimum – indeed, at this rate of usage, those side walls will perish long before the tread goes below the legal minimum.

At any time of year, and especially in spring, if a couple of hours pop up that the boss has inadvertantly left free in my schedule, (sorry, what’s that, dear?), I often find myself bumbling round the garden centre, trying to imagine what bunchiflora spectacularia would like in my borders. And yet, I am always surprised when my shoe leather is worn out from all that shuffling around on gravelly surfaces. Well, not this year, oh goodness me no. Quite conceivably, last year’s new shoes could very well hibernate right through the summer and still be looking good in spring 2021.

You may have heard me mention I do both yoga and pilates, because I mention it a lot. I even have a special room, the ‘Yoga Room’. It used to be my daughters bedroom but of course we had plans in place for when whe moved out. Now, this is a room used for little else, with the odd out of the way corner. And the thing about getting into funny positions is, you pretty much always see that same cobwebby bit of fluff you haven’t seen since, well, the last time you hit a particular pose. So, downward facing dog can indeed be very revealing, reminding you that for the last twelve months you had been harbouring every intent to get the feather duster out just as soon as that pose was over, only to forget again until the next time. Well, good news! Not only have I now in theory gained more yoga hours, but lockdown is making it ever more likely that the days of that lazy dust bunny are numbered.

Meanwhile, if you are able to score a supermarket home delivery, you get to feel like an actual, bone-fide lottery winner. There is a downside too, of course, in that the ensuing celebrations might take you through the last of any remaining beer you had in the house, but no matter, it may be three or four weeks before the Tesco van swings back by your place, and it’s important to know when to celebrate. But then you swing back to the upside, realising that having now finished off the beer, it no longer matters who is designated driver, as you won’t be needing those car keys for a while anyhow. Yipee!

Oh, now here’s one: that novel you have always known you had in you? Well now would be a great opportunity to work on the synopsis. I have many ideas in the pipe myself, I don’t mind telling you, not a few of which seem to revolve around some madcap character or other who against all reason manages to get elected as US president and then goes totally rogue. I know, it seems just so unlikely….

One significant plus this spring (and summer?) that should not be overlooked is (fanfare) – the antiperspitant deoderant situation. That half full aerosol can you keep tucked away in the back of the bathroom cabinet is probably the last one you’ll be buying for quite a while. I mean, you only need that stuff when your mixing, right? And most of us won’t be mixing again any time soon. Just think of all the money you’ll be saving compared with a regular summer.

But the thing that never fails to put a smile on our faces, if you haven’t already realised it, is you guys! Our students, blog readers, and their families. The people we couldn’t do without. You’re the ones we maintain this blog for, and I include in this all our existing students, whether or not they are able to take us up on online lessons, or the free fortnightly online check-in visits we are offering as an alternative to our established students through this time. We are so lucky to do what we do, and in such fine company. As Eileen and I have often remarked, you are remarkable, and sooner or later all the nicest people seem to find their way to the Northern Music Academy.