Faustus

Can you describe it, mate?

I'm really not sure where to put this post and I even question its relevance, but I feel I have to get something off my chest because these past 24 hours, my head's been an utter mess. I make absolutely no apologies for a lack of coherence, because as I said, it's more a case of articulating feelings than trying to come out with something witty or attempting to appear sardonic or whatever else. Yesterday, I was at a mate's house enjoying a barbecue. Good food, good company, ale and the Champions League final. Doesn't get much better, does it? About half 12, I got a phone call from my sister, who lives in the Smoke. I was half-cut at this point, but she's panicked down the line going "Don't worry, I'm safe. I'm safe." I had absolutey no idea what she was on about. It all just felt surreal hearing her so obviously fearful when I was well oiled. Obviously it became apparent after checking the news what had happened. As it turned out, she was right by where the attack happened having a bev with her mates and the police had to enter the pub and evacuate everybody. i'm just so bloody thankful that she's fine, but it hits home how chance plays a part in life; ten minutes too early, ten minutes too late, where do you end up? Today, I was in town at Fact watching a film. My folks were at the Albert Dock having meal and they belled us seeing if I fancied joining them for a drink after their scran. I obliged, and wandered to the Pump House from Wood Street. Considering it was a Sunday and the weather was ace, town was oddly quiet. Not deathly so, but noticeable enough that I wasn't getting pissed off by the Church Street dawdlers. Anyway, I met the folks and they mentioned something similar; how the Docks were oddly quiet, even to the extent that their server commented on it. Anyway, we ended up having several drinks together and had a laugh, chewed the fat and just had a ball, even thanking our stars that my sister was sound. The events in London inevitably came up, as did the attack last week in Manchester. We had an absolutely superb day and even though I realise this post isn't particularly coherent, what I'm on about is how today we enjoyed something that we shouldn't relinquish, that people will try to force us into forsaking: Great drinks, great company, great food. In essence, the little things that make life worth living. We can't lose sight of that and we can't freely give up such wonderful simplicities. I got in and caught the tail end of that Manchester gig. Seeing 'Live Forever' was fucking ace and not going to lie, even though she's as far away from my taste as possible, Arianna Grande ending things with 'One Last Time' was just truly moving. Obviously on account of the circumstances, I felt my bottom lip going. I've got so much respect for her because I honestly don't know how she can find it in herself to keep going, especially considering she's a kid herself. What a woman. And I doubt it, but I hope the Daily Mail and Piers Morgan are fucking ashamed of themselves for the slut shaming comments (DM) and pinpointing of guilt (Morgan; calling her out because she hadn't visited any of the victims in hospital within something like 72 hours). Cunts to a man. Again, I'm not even sure where I'm going with this other than to say enjoy your life, enjoy the company of your friends and family, have an ace one eating and drinking lots of ace stuff. Don't give thought to the inconsequential stuff in life. Just have a boss one. I fucking love Liverpool, and Manchester and London are pretty ace as well (even if they pale in comparison). x

RedKnight, mate, I just can't bring myself to get optimistic. Credit to Corbyn, he's fought a hell of a campaign and I think it's admirable how he's galvanised the youth in this country, but we're dealing with a vast section of this society who've been weaned on a diet of cuntery, spun by five billionaires, for fucking ages. The nuke question summed it up, because it took (I'd guess) the youngest person who spoke about on it to point out the illogicality of the question. My generation, the under 30s, simply aren't arsed about that sort of stuff, or Corbyn having a brew with Gerry Adams, when our jobs are insecure, our wages are shite and we're struggling to get on the property ladder. Unfortunately, it's the oldies and the ignorant who decide these sort of things. I've long since learned that social media (I only use Facebook, in fairness) is useless at times like this because it's an echo chamber. The vast majority of my mates are politically engaged and voting Labour. As I messaged my mate earlier this week when Corbyn came out of the debate looking well and the Tories were on the ropes, the big question is: What were the viewing figures for Britain's Got Talent on the other side and how many have already swallowed the 'strong and stable' crap without a single critical thought? The biggest mistake Labour could make is if they abandon this current path. Unfortunately, given the PLP are mostly a gang of dicks, I could see Chuka and Hilary Benn using a defeat to go back to a centre-right Labour and undo all of this good work.

It's amazing how so many are down on dialogue but love their nukes.

A voice of sanity from that young woman in the audience.

"Would yer use nuclear weapons if I called yer ma a slag?"

He's doing well.

A question on foreign aid. Fucking hell, what an irrelevance.

I'm genuinely baffled how people can say she's a leader. She's fucking shite; an uncertain, waffling intellectual vacuum.

Agree with that. It's similar to the Boris Johnson conundrum over on this side of the pond. "Oh, he's actually pretty sharp, he just plays up to the image of being a buffoon." Nah, not having it at all with either. Both were born into wealth and as such coasted on Easy Street. For Trump with this, see Johnson for the Brexit campaign. Neither are particularly arsed about the ultimate ramifications of either, both decisions were undertaken purely for short-term self-interest, be it in the form of a big stack of cash, or the idea of the top job itself.

On 9th June, I'd like to see Tim Farron in a coalition of comedy.

I allow myself to feel optimistic when seeing the Tories take a hammering like this, then I wonder what the viewing figures are for Britain's Got Talent on the other side and think how many of them have been suckered by the 'strong and stable'/ 'Corbyn isn't a leader' nonsense.

'Magic money tree' the latest Tory soundbite, I see. Sounds more like the title of a Yes album.

As terrible as it sounds, there's a point when you have to say that this country deserves all it's get when you have turkeys queing in their droves to vote for Christmas. I don't know if anybody's ever checked out John Harris' videos on YouTube, but they're well worth a watch. Anyway, in one of his more recent ones filmed in rural Lancashire before the local elections, he was chatting to a bloke on regular medication who was moaning about having to pay £12 a pop to get a taxi to the nearest chemist to pick up his prescription as the Tories had cut the bus route into that particular town. Harris asked the fella later in the video who was going to vote for in the GE and he went, "Theresa May because I don't like Jeremy Corbyn." I can't even imagine how many times over such a thought process must be replicated across the country; people lamenting the state of the NHS, or pensioners moaning about potential means testing for winter fuel, yet jigging their way to the polling booth to put their cross beside a strong and stable candidate.

The likes of Cameron and Farage are obviously despicable twats, but on a superficial level, I could understand their appeal, given that they were slick operators who stayed on message and were straight to the point. It's beyond me though how anyone could think May's a 'leader' though. She's a waffling, meandering thicko.

I may be in a minority here, but I've always thought Paxman to be an over rated interviewer. People mistake outright belligerence for probing questions and when he doesn't get the answer he wants, he resorts to bullshit anecdotal evidence. You've pretty much just got to return the serve against him. He should make May look shite though.

Just watched the shoot-out in the play-off final then. Bloody hell, the Huddersfield chairman was going through the mill there. The bloke looked like he was on the verge of death!

Surely nobody wants Reading to go up today, do they? The club of Bill Shankly and Patrick Stewart versus the club of John Madejski and Chris Tarrant.

Oh yeah, heard it's a defo. Time for Heroes.

Heard an absolutely mental rumour that Jeremy Corbyn is introducing The Libertines at Prenton Park today, with him being in the area to speak at that Wirral West rally. Never in a million years did I think I'd ever write the above sentence.

Absolute state of that young Tory meff in the audience.

Ken Brannagh's a Spurs fan? Didn't see that one coming.

The last thing we need with Firmino being out is more dicking about with the team, more shoehorning into the 4-3-3. If we start with a midfield of Lucas (assuming he's fit), Can and Gini, with Lallana, Coutinho and Origi up top, I'll go spare. Defo think the diamond is the way to go today.

Sweden's entry was pure Eastern European discotheque when you're bevvied with your mates on a city break. That French bird was immense.

Just fucking win. Can't be arsed with another bottle job.