Ash Wednesday?

Is it Ash Wednesday tomorrow? Why not, it's been that all week according to 'official' reports . . . . I've been looking up to see airplane trails and any signs of ashy type clouds - zilch. Being within the Heathrow, Luton and Stanstead corridor also been listening for jet engines . . . . zilch, just lotsa birds we don't normally hear.   Has all this been a health and safety edict? Makes you wonder?  Er, hang about - went out to the car this morning, a thin layer of gray ash all over it . . . . . gulp!

Lookin' and Listenin' - Searching for Dorothy?

Enjoying the search for Dorothy on BBC with Lord Webber et al? Good. It's the nearest thing you'll get to light entertainment these days. Ten hopefuls left, all looking lovely, although a couple would do better auditioning for CHICAGO. Surely Dorothy searching Over The Rainbow should be almost waif-like?
Lovely lighting and choreography but when I close my eyes are all the solo performing young ladies singing in their bathrooms? Last week's closing number featuring all the cast is excellent live sound. The whole show is expertly directed. 10 out of 10 for production values.

Lookin' and Listening - Vincent and Bob Dylan

Never really cared much for the music of Bob Dylan - too engrossed in jazz, I suppose? But got talking to this teenager (I'll call him Vincent), he looked a typical loser, hooded, pallid and badly presented. Although fighting a drug problem, chain smoking and appearing outwardly sad, in a ten minute flurry of articulate wordage he explained to me that even though the lyrics of Dylan songs read brilliantly on paper, when sung by the master himself they convey hidden depths of understanding and truth. Every word, every nuance, Vincent explained, should be savoured and mulled. The problems of the world were all contained therein, just listen, learn and understand.

Vincent had every Dylan ever released and a few acetates that weren't. This pallid boy could write a million words on Dylan despite resembling a typical inner city drop-out. Never judge a book, etc.. . . . I'm going to catch up on some Dylan, you convinced me Vince, never too late to teach an old dog.