Monday 10 February 2014

Day 27069; Just Another Day.


    I remember VE Day after the war, or rather I remember the celebrations. I remember the chapel minister telling me it was not my sixth birthday but the 'celebration' of my birthday. Aren't adults pompous when they want to be! Falling off a three wheeled bicycle and breaking my arm; falling off the cricket pitch roller and breaking my arm; falling off a two wheeled bike and breaking my arm! Teacher Mr Jones shouting at me in lessons. and the teacher, was it Mr Jones coming into lessons and announcing Mr Ghandi had been killed. 
School trips to Eyam and Hansel and Gretel. In later years camping at Mundesley, a trip for 'the poor boys', courtesy of some charity or other. Playing in the river and canal; in the farmyards and on the railway line. Coming home from school and being told my mother had died; then I went out and did my paper round; no wonder I'm a bit of a fruit and nut' case!
    In the big wild world of work I remember frenetic days at F W Woolworth's and those lovely young Saturday girls. And less than frenetic days at British Celanese, stuck behind a desk adding up lists of Dicel and Tricel, as if I cared! Wet, windy duties on the yard as a teacher, also frenetic and frenetic too the years spent 'youth- leading'. Why did I so often choose jobs offering a less than peaceful existence! All in all years and years gone in a flash. Seldom regretted, not even the morning spent as a Betterware salesman on the outskirts of Ilkeston. (A morning was ample!)
    Marriage, one, children, two. Ups and downs, but far more ups than downs. Excruciating happiness and much love, more than one man deserves. And life goes on; the eyes dim and sometimes the memories fade. Many, many memories. (I honestly believe EVERYTHING we have experienced, however trite  is stored in the brain until death. Otherwise how do we recall memories that we have NOT thought about for so long, triggered and recalled in an instant.) 
    So what's significant about day number 27069, anybody hazard a guess. No, well it's my number of days on this earth. Of no significance to anyone except me, but its set me thinking. Mainly because of the days I can't rather than can remember.Very, very few 'diarists', not surprisingly, record EVERY day of their lives. Certainly not at my level. If I can recall hundreds, maybe thousands  of the days of my life, that leaves many, many more days that  were so mundane as to have vanished 'into the ether' so to speak. They are not necessarily wasted, it is just that we  'live' so to speak on special days. The majority of our time we 'exist', not necessarily in a bad way. My friends, I would like, with your help to conduct an experiment. Anyone why reads my blog is welcome to take part!
On a given day, in the near future I would like people  who choose to do so to tell me, in some detail, what you did, morning 'till night on the chosen day. I too of course will do likewise. Remember, this is NOT a special day. From what you ate to what you did. I know its nosey, but 'never mind eh!' I have readers from all over the world from all walks of life. I will print every reply as a blog a week or two after the invitation. I have readers from all walks of life, all ages, all parts of the world. ( A short profile will be needed.) More details , e.g. length to follow.) The only common denominator, being readers of Grumpy's Blog! Probably a mad thing to do, I've no idea who, if anyone will respond; it could be interesting!    

7 comments:

Melinda said...

How interesting! I will take part, and look forward to taking a peek at a day in the life of my fellow readers. I enjoyed this post. I fear mine will not be so well written and will be rather dull. But....it might help someone fall asleep at night!

Robert Smith said...

I can tell you now about a day in my life cos every day is the same!
Get up.
Breakfast.
Read Yahoo News.
Check emails [none].
Wash the pots.
Have a lie down and a nap.
Lunch.
Have a lie down and a nap.
Watch the news.
Have a lie down and a nap.
Evening meal.
Write witty post for my blog.
Dinner.
Have a lie down and a nap.
Go to bed.

Y'know, just lately I just can't seem to get to sleep at night. S'pose I ought to cut out writing witty posts; that might help.

rhymeswithplague said...

Your saying "I believe that EVERYTHING we have experienced, however trite, is stored in the brain until death" meshes nicely with this poem by Noel Coward that I found just yesterday:


Nothing is Lost
by Noel Coward

Deep in our sub-conscious, we are told
Lie all our memories, lie all the notes
Of all the music we have ever heard
And all the phrases those we loved have spoken,
Sorrows and losses time has since consoled,
Family jokes, out-moded anecdotes
Each sentimental souvenir and token
Everything seen, experienced, each word
Addressed to us in infancy, before
Before we could even know or understand
The implications of our wonderland.
There they all are, the legendary lies
The birthday treats, the sights, the sounds, the tears
Forgotten debris of forgotten years
Waiting to be recalled, waiting to rise
Before our world dissolves before our eyes
Waiting for some small, intimate reminder,
A word, a tune, a known familiar scent
An echo from the past when, innocent
We looked upon the present with delight
And doubted not the future would be kinder
And never knew the loneliness of night.

"Nothing is Lost" by Noel Coward from Collected Verse. © Graywolf Press, 2007.

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

What a great idea Ken. I haven't been "blogging" for a while until recently and I happened to look in on you to find this. I hope I catch the "day" as I will probably take part!

Bitchy said...

Got waken by my alarm
went to the bathroom
brushed my hair and teeth
poured my frist cup of coffee
got dressed
went to work
had another cup of coffee while I opened the work site.
Went to office and sit to do some paperwork.
flew off the handle.
Spent the next 5 hours checking on workers
Ran to get supplies
Came back and lined out workers again
Had some lunch
Went and made sure work was getting done
Closed up shop after getting tomorrows supply list
Set down to do paperwork that did not finish
Made sure work site was properly locked up
Wrote a report that I have ignored for a week. Now after a 15 hour day I am going to get something to eat.
Take a shower.
Go to sleep, so I can repeat tomorrow.

Robert Smith said...

Bitchy - Fascinating! What a rich and full life you lead. You are very lucky. I'm sure you look forward to every day as a great adventure in this wonderful country of ours!
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(Don't mind me, I'm just fed up at the moment)

Bitchy said...

Keith,
That is my work life. Which right at the moment I am trying real hard to wrap up a very bad job.
When I work I work hard…
When I play I play even harder.