David - The Geriatric Leonite

I am going claim the credit for introducing a new word to the English Language.

That word is LEONITE.

If you are a Leonite you will know exactly what I am talking about. If you are not then you will be wondering what is the silly old man talking about !

I have three hundred and twenty-two friends on Facebook, the vast majority are LEONITES.

Last week a LEONITE interviewed me for his show MY INSPIRATION on Radio Secklow 105.5. You can check this out by CLICKING HERE.  Go on have a listen.

The picture above shows this particular Leonite at Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco. The picture Frank took for his show shows the geriatric version.

Yesterday did not start well for me. After some very busy days I was feeling burned out. One of those days had included a meeting which had not gone well. Others at the meeting may well have felt it was a success but I was left disillusioned and low.

My motto on life, indeed the last words I said in Frank's interview is..............

LIFE IS A DISCO - SO DANCE

I tried very hard to dance yesterday, I had music playing on my laptop as I tried to work out the geeky technology on some equipment I plan to use within my role as Audience Development Manager at Secklow Radio 105.5.  The music did not lift my spirits and the geeky contraption just made me more and more frustrated.

In the end I put the deck into the car, drove to Maplin Electronics and shouted HELP.

The staff were very kind to the silly old man, explained what should have been obvious to anyone with half a brain. I took the deck home and tried again. It worked perfectly.

Returning home from Maplin Electronics, as I pulled the car  into the drive my neighbour appeared and handed me a parcel the postman had left with him for me while I was out.

What on earth was it ?  I have lots of things on their way from Amazon and e-bay but this clearly was not from either.

When I opened it tears pricked the back of my eyes, honestly they did and they are pricking again now as I type this blog entry.

It had come from a LEONITE.  It was packed with gifts of love for OurRebekah's Secret Santa. But more than that there was a wonderful, beautiful little note to Maureen and myself.

The moment I read it I stopped feeling low. My spirits were lifted.  I was dancing like crazy again in the disco of life.

Normally I flood Facebook with posts during the day.  There were not that many yesterday but no fewer than TWENTY-FOUR Leonites liked or made comments on the few posts I made. TWENTY-FOUR !

I had two messages from LEONITES, Facebook messages about music and about Secklow 105.5.

Within OurRebekah LEONITES have been the largest single source of support.  Now as I embark upon working within Secklow 105.5 LEONITES are lining up to help and support.

LEONITES you may like to listen to Frank Scarito's interview with me.  You will learn something about your geriatric member.

LIFE IS A DISCO - SO DANCE

Feeling good, feeling happy and dancing like crazy in the disco of life I jumped into the car to begin what I knew was going to be a long and not easy drive.  I was about to make a five hour round trip, actually it ended up a five and a half hour trip, to collect a disco twin deck. A proper disco twin deck that plays vinyl.

I had purchased this from e-bay, again something I plan to use to promote Secklow 105.5. I had seen pictures and watched a video of it on-line but seeing for real my jaw dropped.

It is forty years old yet looks brand new. I paid £220 for it but I believe it has a value far greater than that.  LEONITES I wish we had this piece of kit in the days of our disco.

Let me pop a pic or two from those days into the narrative.

Here we go.

Before I left home to begin that long drive I set out a series of CDs on the passenger seat.

Music boomed out from the four speakers in the car. I only once turned it off, other than being at the house to collect the deck of course, and that was at the McDonald's drive through. I pulled off the road at Witney near Oxford to visit The Golden Arches. Those arches were busy.  I placed my order, I am awkward with the food I eat - I do not want all the muck McDonalds spread over their burgers. Usually I have to be very careful and specific about my order. Not yesterday, efficiency and great customer service were the watchword.

When it came to pay for the food I handed over a twenty pound note. "Give me the tenner and pop the rest in the box."

"Are you sure Sir ?  That's three pounds sixty-three pence ."

"Fine - pop it in."

"Thank you so much."

You know what ?  I am feeling a bit guilty this morning, I wish I had told him to pop the tenner in as well. The "box" was, of course, Ronald McDonald House's collecting box.

Hang on a minute. BRB.

There you go. I've put that tenner into the box by way of JustGiving.

Later today Amazon will be delivering the speakers to go with that twin deck.

What do you think will be the first record I will play ?  LEONITES I bet you can guess. If you are not sure then listen to Frank Scarito's interview with the Geriatric Leonite.  CLICK HERE.  

So what is a LEONITE ?

Stowe School calls its old boys STOICS. Eton School calls its former students Old Etonians. The best school there has ever been calls its former students LEONITES.  Well the school does not but that's what we call ourselves.  I am so proud to be a LEONITE, so proud to be The Geriatric Leonite.

And with that let me play that piece of vinyl I will soon pop on the turntable of my new twin deck. The greatest piece of music ever written played here for some of the greatest people any school anywhere has ever turned out. MY LEONITE FRIENDS. All of you remember - LIFE IS A DISCO SO DANCE !