This is the most important blog page I have written this year

Pinch - Punch - First of the month......

FIRST OF THE MONTH

Monday 1st October 2018

85 days to Christmas....

However, can I inspire you to start Christmas in one month's time ?

Thursday 1st November ?

The picture at the top of today's page shows Yours Truly delivering SECRET SANTA gifts to Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham, gifts of LOVE for families who have a child sick in hospital.

I don't mind telling you organising Secret Santa 2017 was

damn hard work and my home was packed with parcels and gifts in every room. Gifts were coming in faster than I could process them.

Within every gift there was love from the person who gave it.

I am sure that families in Ronald McDonald House had many,

many gifts last Christmas, our Secret Santa parcels were just one of many.

It was not the gift that was important in Secret Santa 2017, it was the LOVE behind the gift.

To have a child seriously ill in hospital is hard for a family any time of the year. To have this happen at Christmas is one hundred times harder.

Seriously ill children with cancer, organ failure and many other ailments need specialist treatment, often in

hospitals faraway from home. Ronald McDonald House keeps families together at these hard times.

Secret Santa 2017 sent our gifts of love to Ronald McDonald House serving Birmingham Childrens Hospital. Children from all over the country come to Birmingham for treatment.

Secret Santa 2018 will open on Thursday 1st November. I

have one month from today to get everything ready for the launch. One month to find the friends I need to work with me.

I have one month from today to put into place the system needed to invite people to put gifts onto Santa's Sleigh,

to process them and to deliver them to the families.

I want to again take gifts of love to Ronald McDonald House and Birmingham Childrens Hospital but my ambitions go beyond that. Can I inspire you to catch the vision ?

I would so much like this year, Secret Santa 2018, to also take love to Sheffield Childrens' Hospital and Ward Five, the childrens' ward, in Milton Keynes Hospital. BUT without help I have no chance at all of being able to that.

Most of the gifts last year came from groups using West Bletchley Community Centre. There were also many lovely kind individuals who helped fill the sacks on Santa's Sleigh.

I know that my dear friends Josh and Jelena Morgan will support Santa but the old man with the white beard needs many more elves in his workshop.

SANTA NEEDS people to spread the word and invite people to give.

SANTA NEEDS more places like West Bletchley Community Centre to become collection points.

SANTA NEEDS people to help wrap the gifts and to store some in their homes.

SANTA NEEDS help delivering the gifts.

SANTA NEEDS YOU

SANTA NEEDS LOVE

I have one month from today to find the love Santa needs.

Secret Santa 2017 for me was a lovely time, a hard time but a time of LOVE.  Please come and share in the love of Secret Santa 2018.

In my home there are two carrier bags which I need to take to The Food Bank, gifts of love collected from some beautiful friends. Could I be ambitious and add in the Food Bank, to collect more gifts for families who will not have at Christmas all that you and I will have.

Secret Santa 2017 collected a little short of one hundred gifts

of love, to achieve Santa's ambition for Secret Santa 2018 we will need three times this number.

Does your heart have enough love for you to get involved ?

Last year from 1st December to Christmas Day, as part of Secret Santa, we ran an on-line music advent calendar, that was great fun and will again be part of Secret Santa this year.

So would you like to make Christmas 2018 special for you and your family ?  Would you help Santa ? PLEASE.....

PLEASE TODAY - Monday 1st October - do two things.

1. DROP ME AN E-MAIL dashford566@gmail.com or hit me on FACEBOOK and tell me you would like to be a part of Secret Santa 2018

2. SHARE this page so as many people as possible read it.

Yesterday the total blog readership, the number of friends who have checked my daily scribble since I started writing in January 2017, reached 76,200. I have been hoping it would hit one hundred thousand by Christmas.  If I link this page and Secret Santa to each blog across this new month of October wouldn't it be great if that 100,000 were reached by 1st November and the launch of Secret Santa 2018.

TO REPEAT.....

PLEASE TODAY - Monday 1st October - do two things.

1. DROP ME AN E-MAIL dashford566@gmail.com or hit me on FACEBOOK and tell me you would like to be a part of Secret Santa 2018

2. SHARE this page so as many people as possible read it.

A letter from Buckingham Palace

My Wednesday edition of LET'S INSPIRE MK will be broadcast between 6am and 8am on Wednesday next week. Two hours of utterly crazy music with a series of smiling, happy and inspirational anecdotes of kindness. 

The playlist was written more than week ago, I have for a while been gathering some stories of kindness to build into the show. There was one vacant spot on my script, I thought I would probably have to skip this and simply go from one track to the next. Now I have got to find an extra spot to celebrate even more kindness.

All of the music I am playing on today's page is connected. I'll explain later.

Anyway, there I was yesterday morning at Bletchley Irish

Centre running our car boot stall to support various good causes. It was not, financially, the best of times but it was an amazing day.

It was early, I think we had taken about £1.50 when this guy walks in, comes up to me, hands me a video camera and said: That's Gift For You.  He then turned and left.  Who he was I have no idea but what a lovely, kind thing to do.

Our video camera was stolen in April so this gift is perfect. HOW KIND. I filled the vacant spot in the show's playlist and script.

Now I have filled that empty spot on the playlist for Wednesday. Before I tell you more THANK YOU Paul Deering and Paul Stig Stanley for dropping by to say HI. Thank You Paula Smythe for making this stall possible every week.

I am going, however. to have to adapt the playlist to add in another KINDNESS.  I was writing the draft of this blog page just after the car boot sale when the postman came. He brought a letter from Buckingham Palace.

Nervously I opened it, was I being offered a knighthood in the

New Year Honours List ?  ARISE SIR GERIATRIC DJ !  

NO, it was sent on behalf of Harry and Megan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, saying they hoped Sunshine Smile Day which was held on the day of their wedding to support various local charities went well.  HOW KIND !  That has to receive a mention on Wednesday's show.

I wonder if their Royal Highnesses listen to my shows. LET'S INSPIRE MK every Wednesday 6am to 8am on Radio CRMK - just go to www.crmk.co.uk and click on LISTEN. For those of you who are sleepy-heads CLICK HERE for the podcasts.

Every Thursday, again 6am to 8am, I broadcast my show WAKE UP WITH THE CLASSICS.

This week's FEATURED COMPOSER is Beethoven and I will, of course, be DIPPING IN TO G & S. I'll have a big DIP at the end of today's page.

So what do all of the records played on today's page have in common ?

On Tuesday 30th October I will be bring you early risers a third show - MUSIC FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION.

I am going to cheat, I will be playing everything using a simple digital system rather than physically playing 7" singles and LP records on turntables. However, I will ONLY play music if I have the original vinyl copy at home. No vinyl = no play.

Sorting discs ready for this new show I have turned out records I will never play and have been selling them at the boot sales. While things were quiet at yesterday's sale I sorted through the records and found some I had turned out yet would indeed play. I rescued them and now have them ready to play in the coming weeks. These are the songs on today's page.

Playing retro-pop on Wednesdays I wear in the studio my hippie shirt, actually I have two shirts !

This helps me get into the right mood for the music I play.

When I started WAKE UP WITH THE CLASSICS last week I wore a dress shirt and

black tie !

So what should I wear for this third show ?

Are Vinyl and Lycra a similar material ?

Possible ?

NO WAY !

NO FLIPPING WAY !

Not now I have been given a gift of a video camera to help film my blogs !

Here are the two video blog editions from earlier this week.  Note I did not say MISS them, if you did not watch them trust me you dis not MISS anything. But if you did not listen to the music you certainly missed some of the most delicious music ever played.

When the letter from Buckingham Palace was received I immediately called Josh and Jelena who worked so hard to help make Sunshine Smile Day a success. In January my two dear friends were rough sleeping in a tent. Not now, of course, the readers of my blog helped secure a home for them. watch them and others in this video clip. EXCUSE MY SINGING !

From a tent to a letter from Buckingham Palace in nine months, I said to them, just think where you will be in nine months from now.

I've run out of vinyl records from yesterday's boot sale yet I need a few more tracks to play.  Sorry, I have played this a dozen times before but what the heck IT'S FUN !

Music is meant to be fun after all. Another DIP into G & S.

OK, it's 5.30am so I had better publish today's page and head off to the boot sale at Milton Keynes Bowl. BTW - total blog readership now at 76,100 and 82 listeners to my podcasts. THANK YOU ALL.

GEEKS !

Microsoft is probably the most hated corporation ion the world.

AGREE ?

Did you know that you can even buy Microsoft  toilet   paper ?

I think that Google is getting jealous. Having screwed up YouTube they've now fired an atomic warhead into G Mail with a pathetic geek-driven downgrading update.

I have used Gmail for years and been comfortable with it.  Now it is RUBBISH. I need as a matter of urgency to find an alternative. While I sort that you can use

inspire@crmk.co.uk  Blogger is also a Google tool, how long before they screw this up ?

But while Blogger is still moderately functioning let's leave the geeks to their own sad little world and have some fun.

I am playing that on today's blog and will be including it in Wednesday's show for listener Paul Stig Stanley.

Yesterday I scribbled a few more hundred words for my new book, I will type it up in due course and share it with you all.

When Josh and Jelena were rough sleeping and living in a tent I gave Josh a notepad and a pen. He started to write his autobiography. I went to see my dear friends yesterday and in their

home I saw Josh's notes, he is still writing his autobiography.  I have read some extracts and I can tell your it is POWERFUL. You wait until that gets published on Amazon !

It was through the help of this blog readers that two weeks after I met Josh and Mrs Josh that we secured temporary accommodation for them. Milton Keynes Council gave them a home of their own in July. I was thrilled to bits when they told me yesterday that they have now signed a secured tenancy with the council.

Josh says I play too much silly music but I happen to know he loved Black Lace.

I am convinced there is a trilogy of evil - Microsoft, Google and Lenovo.

Don't you just love to hate them ! ALL !

I wonder if I will live long enough, perhaps to the year 2525 do you think anyone will have developed a computer and operating system which actually works properly ?

I know that I say LIFE IS FAR MORE FUN IF YOU ARE SILLY but the idea of a geek making something which actually works is not silly it is RIDICULOUS !

Here's something which is NOT ridiculous, it is SILLY and lots of fun.

Yesterday the blog achieved a pleasing readership of  584  which brings the total since I fist started writing the page to 76,001.

Looking at my Podcasts I see since I started broadcasting five weeks ago there have been 80 listeners.   Have you listened in ?  CLICK HERE.

I did pop a post on my club's website saying I always broadcast wearing my WEDNESDAY scarf.  Thanks all you OWLS who read yesterday's page. My ego took a bashing when one fan asked who I am !


You wait until next Wednesday's broadcast !

I have educated Josh to become a Wednesday fan. I have educated him to like retro pop. Yesterday I was talking to him about Mods and Rockers - he thought I had gone crazy.

Do you know what a MOD is ?

Having played that I must play this from my vinyl collection.

Next Wednesday's show has the sub-title of SMILES AND SILLY MUSIC.  I will be dedicating some super fun songs to different people whose kindness has made this a better world. I will NOT be playing anything for Google, Microsoft or Lenovo !

Then on Thursday Beethoven will be my featured composer in Wake Up With The Classics.

I hope that Google does not tune in and screw up the broadcast.

5.20am.  Time I guess to grab a bit of breakfast then head off to our charity stall at Bletchley Irish Centre's Car Boot Sale. Nothing to sell, I am pleased to say, from Microsoft, Google or Lenovo.  The Irish Centre is so much fun, lovely people.  I'll be playing some happy music on Wednesday's show for organisers, customers and all those who have given us STUFF to sell.

For now this is for you all.  I love this song.

Have a lovely day one and all. Just avoid Google, Microsoft and Lenovo !

Broadcasting with a Sheffield Wednesday scarf

All my fellow Sheffield Wednesday fans please note I ALWAYS broadcast my radio shows wearing my club scarf. Some may think this strange or odd but it puts me in a certain mood which I hope adds something to the broadcast. Here's the scarf in my second attempt at a video blog.

Something very special happened yesterday, it was an experience I shall never forget if I live to be one thousand years old.

I had taken Jelena, aka Mrs Josh, to a doctors appointment.  I waited outside. I had gone in Maureen's silly little car as the Jag is packed with STUFF for Saturday's boot sale. When Jelena came back the car would not start. DAMN ! A total stranger came along, said You have a flat battery !  He then pushed

my car into a position where he could bring his car next to it then jump started Maureen's silly blue box with its lawnmower engine.

That lovely, wonderful guy could have simply walked by but NO he stopped to help. He stooped and was kind.

I plan my radio shows four weeks in advance, with two weekly broadcasts - soon to become three, I have to get in advance of myself. One of the shows I am planning is

SMILES AND SILLY MUSIC, two hours of crazy music and inspirational kindness. I was planning to broadcast the show at the end of next month but now it will happen NEXT WEDNESDAY.

I have slipped yesterday's anecdote and flat battery between these two songs.

Make sure you set your alarm clock, get up and tune in to radio CRMK - www.crmk.co.uk CLICK ON LISTEN and join me for some fun, silly music and inspirational anecdotes.

The radio show does not actually do anything other than play the music, my intention in broadcasting is to INSPIRE people to do things themselves.

Last week I was trying INSPIRE people to consider some special people who contributed so much to our city.  If you

missed that show or any of my broadcasts you can listen to the podcasts - CLICK HERE.

I think I am going to change the playlist for next Wednesday. WEDNESDAY was that a deliberate pun ?  I am going to slip another song into the playlist...this....

When it come to singing HI HO SILVER LINING I intend to accidentally on purpose leave my microphone open so you can hear me singing to the world HI HO SHEFFIELD

WEDNESDAY.  Do you like that idea ?  It'll be fun but not as much fun and nowhere as silly as when I play AIR GUITAR during the piece. Everyone up in the STEEL CITY it will be on the playlist for about 7.45am so make sure you are listening.

The PODCASTS for my shows have been checked out 79 times, not bad as I have only been broadcasting for a little over a month. Looking at the stats for this blog page which I

began in January 2017 yesterday hit a total of 75,416. I am hoping we hit one hundred thousand by Christmas.

Audience figures for my show yesterday morning were not great but for a brand new show hitting the airwaves I guess I should be pleased.

When I played the finale from 1812 Overture perhaps I should have turned up the volume so the cannons woke up a few more people.

On next Thursday's edition of WAKE UP WITH THE CLASSICS Beethoven will be my featured composer. Yesterday I played something featuring Maria Callas, she will be there again in the playlist.

On Tuesday 30th October I will be starting a third early morning show where, while I am playing everything using modern digital music, I will ONLY play a song if I have it in my vinyl collection.

This needs to be added to the anecdotes for next Wednesday's Smiles and Silly Music show. Yesterday, a listener brought round a stack of stuff for the charity car boot sales I run each week-end.

Among the gifts of STUFF to sell was a stack of vinyl including an original pressing of HELP by The Beatles.

LOOK at the kind of money the album is commanding on ebay. To sell or not to sell, that is the question.

Should I be greedy and keep this in the vinyl collection for the new show.

There is also an original 12" single of Michael Jackson's THRILLER. Look what it would fetch if it were autographed !  Do you think I could forge Michael's signature. How long do you get inside for fraud ?

The Bullshit Broadcasting Corporation claim the weather for this coming week-end is good.

Is it sensible to trust anything The BBC says ? Probably not but today I will sort out the STUFF to sell. That will see us at Bletchley Irish Centre on Saturday and MK Bowl on Sunday. We always make more money at The Blowl but I love The Irish Centre, such lovely people who run the event and by far the happiest customers. Bletchley Irish Centre and all the wonderful people there together will all those who have donated STUFF for us to sell will be included in my SILLY SMILES broadcast next week.  There is one particular customer who will be in my mind when I play this song.

Josh and I understand the joke but I would never dare sharing it on live radio !

And with that I think I will bring today's page to an end.

HAVE FUN and remember Life is MORE fun if you are a bit silly. NO it is NOT silly to wear a Sheffield Wednesday Scarf while broadcasting live radio.