March 2025

Musings

This is a place I was not expecting to arrive at and where we go from here is another matter entirely. I have had a few recurring health issues that are making life a bit less fun. I am frustrated as I am just not able to do what I was planning on so easily. Some issued seem to be anxiety triggered as well. There is an underlying cause I am sure, but one that I don’t see any way of resolving at present. Also I can’t get what’s going on in the world out of my head. That’s in part due to my isolation to a degree.

I realised very recently that it’s not just my physical reserves that have dwindled but also my resolve generally and I can’t deal with emotional issues so well. If Vicky and I had been able to keep gigging a few more years we would I suspect by now have reached the limit. There is a huge gulf between what we would like to do and what we are still capable of. I can still play OK, but I am all about avoiding stress now. This band is mostly low maintenance so I can just let them chug along hopefully. My personal life is OK. My partner is good company when I need it so I am not lonely. She is comfortable enough though it is looking as she will end up not driving sooner rather than later. She doesn’t enjoy it now. So getting the other car back on the road may well be just to sell it if possible.

In the days when I was gigging 3 or 4 days a week and going with Vicky to get new gigs and help with interviews for Blues Matters and stuff I was in a very small flat but it did not matter as I was only in about 3 days a week day or so at most. So the environment did not matter so much as I was distracted by the other stuff going on. I would go barking mad if we were living there now.
We have space and every convenience on hand. Yesterday we had our first bulk supermarket delivery here. Makes life a lot easier.

Music pretty much has taken over my life. Writing it, playing it, recording it and listening too it. I just wish I had the stamina I had ten years back. So it’s my thing and it helps keep me sane (to a degree) 🙂

It’s mad mad mad world

Musings

I am trying to ignore events around me as much as possible but it is harder than I thought it would be. And we are indeed living in interesting times as the Chinese proverb (curse) says.
It’s definitely not conducive to normal life is it. I do wonder how far it’s all going to go. And Donald Trump is behaving like a Russian asset. OK that sounds like the plot of a new James Bond movie but its very weird. He did say he stop the war in Ukraine before he was in power. Why say it with so much conviction. Mad or Bad? Why the yanks put a man in office that was charged with inciting an insurrection is a mystery to me. Maybe all his department heads will all just be fighting each other for power now. It’s very strange. It seems to be chaos for the sake of it. Others have also noted how remarkably energetic he has been for an oldie. I cant believe its just from playing golf.

A new solo piano tune.

A reasonable couple of goodish days bodywise at least and there is a correlation with staying in bed longer and aching, so I am slowly trying to get into the habit if getting up a little earlier as that seems to help with general aches and pains. Other stuff is as per usual music related doings and but too much time on the computer in between is stressing my mind and body.

I sometimes wonder how I am still here when I think back over some of the incidents that have occured over my lifetime. Some of it has just really weird too. A bed that was tied to the roof of a car in front of me insecurely came off off on a section of dual carriageway and I hit it at 70 mph. It’s amazing how quickly it all turns to splinters when that happens. I was attacked in Battersea Park on my way to work by a druggy with a knife who held it to my throat and I managed to get out of that by talking. I was stalked by a guy with a broken bottle and mugged at Victoria Station at 6pm whilst waiting for a bus in a queue. Not one person attempted to assist or even went to get help. I walked past an IRA bomb in London 30 seconds before it went off and there’s more…. There are a few other things I could add to the list but I just wonder sometimes how it is that my luck held out? Nothing is certain ever.

I look at the world and the dreadful things happening to usually innocent people who’s lives are erased in seconds or lives are changed forever in terrible ways.

So I wonder is everything just random chance, does stuff just happen. Is there any guiding principal in the universe or is just all the random interactions and collisions’ between fundamental particles played out… It can make you crazy if you let it.

Just asking for a friend 🙂

Black abstract art, white background

World On The Brink?

Musings

It’s getting very weird out there. Scary times. The world feels much more like it did in the early 60s with massive global instability. So what will this mean to the rest of us watching from the sidelines?

I asked chat GPT and this is what it said:

If the U.S. and Russia were to form an alliance, it would significantly alter the geopolitical landscape and potentially be very dangerous for Europe, though the exact consequences would depend on the specifics of such an alliance and its objectives.

Here are some key concerns:

1. Shifting Alliances and Balance of Power:

  • Europe, particularly NATO members, would face a shift in the balance of power. The U.S. has traditionally been Europe’s primary military ally, but an alliance with Russia could undermine NATO’s influence and cohesion. European countries may feel uncertain about their security guarantees.
  • NATO’s deterrence strategy would be challenged. Russia, as a major military power, aligning with the U.S. could force European countries to reconsider their defense strategies, possibly leading to arms buildups or realignments in Europe.

2. Economic Consequences:

  • The U.S. and Russia aligning could disrupt global markets. Europe, heavily integrated with the U.S. economically, would likely be caught in the middle. This could cause economic instability, particularly for European nations that rely on trade with both powers.
  • Europe might face sanctions or trade barriers, especially if there are disagreements between the European Union and this new U.S.-Russia bloc.

3. Energy and Resource Wars:

  • Europe is heavily dependent on Russian energy, particularly gas. If the U.S. and Russia aligned, Europe might find itself in a precarious position. The energy supply could be used as a tool for leverage in diplomatic negotiations, especially if the U.S. adopts policies that prioritize its own energy production or geopolitical interests.
  • If the alliance leads to shifts in energy pricing or access, it could destabilize European economies, especially in the wake of energy crises like the one sparked by the war in Ukraine.

4. Regional Conflicts and Proxy Wars:

  • The security situation in Europe would become highly uncertain, as countries would be unsure of the motivations of their major partners. If the U.S. and Russia pursue global interests that are in conflict with European priorities, the stability of Europe’s peace architecture could be in jeopardy.
  • Smaller states in Eastern Europe or those on the periphery of Russia might feel particularly vulnerable, as they would be caught between competing powers with opposing interests.

5. Diplomatic Tensions:

  • European leaders may be forced to navigate a more complicated diplomatic terrain. If the U.S. and Russia align, European nations could be torn between maintaining relations with traditional allies (the U.S.) and standing up to Russia in defense of European sovereignty and democratic values.
  • The EU might be divided over how to respond, particularly if this alliance challenges European norms of democracy, human rights, and international law.

6. Potential for Nuclear Escalation:

  • Russia and the U.S. are nuclear superpowers. An alliance could raise concerns about nuclear arms control and global security. While a partnership could theoretically reduce the risk of direct conflict between them, the alliance would also likely shift military focus and increase the potential for the use of force in regions of strategic interest to both powers.

7. Undermining European Autonomy:

  • An alliance between the U.S. and Russia could make European states more dependent on external powers for their security and stability, undermining European autonomy and decision-making ability in international affairs. If such an alliance is formed, Europe might find itself forced to choose between aligning with the U.S.-Russia bloc or risking isolation.

8. Uncertainty in Security Posture:

  • The security situation in Europe would become highly uncertain, as countries would be unsure of the motivations of their major partners. If the U.S. and Russia pursue global interests that are in conflict with European priorities, the stability of Europe’s peace architecture could be in jeopardy.

Overall, while it’s hard to predict every outcome of a U.S.-Russia alliance, it would certainly bring increased instability to Europe, both in terms of military security and economic consequences. It would likely challenge Europe’s political cohesion, security architecture, and economic integration.

Ok nor real surprises there really but here is the bit that is most worrying.

“Europe could become a proxy battleground, as the U.S. and Russia might use European soil or influence to pursue their competing interests, leading to destabilizing conflicts in regions like the Balkans or the Black Sea.”

That could mean state sponsored terrorism and false flag operations.
The danger is very real.

My recent music online