Philosopher in Pyjamas

Philosopher in Pyjamas ©

By

Michael Casey

Clever people don’t wear pyjamas, they are nude in bed. As I am, because my bum is just too big for pyjamas, and so when I got my own house 30 years ago I ditched pyjamas. Ok, you can all reach for the sick bucket, 30 years not a prude.

So why are we more relaxed in our PJs and not in our office attire? And why are we so cool when we are in the nude, obviously because we have no warmth from our clothes. Its ideas that keep us warm, its in our PJs that preconceptions are lost, and yes you can see it coming, when nude preconceptions can end and conceptions begin. Its 22.45pm here in Birmingham so you’ll have to forgive my opening.

When you are chilled, again through lack of clothes you are more inventive, that’s why companies have dress down days. These days make us all equal, or so is the theory. I find wearing comfy shoes makes me more relaxed, ask any woman when she comes home from work and throws her heels off. As she pours herself a glass of wine. Me a bottle of Dr. Pepper and my brown suede shoes does the trick.

Ditto with soft furnishings, if you are sat on a nice sofa and not on your hard office chair then you are more relaxed and creative. Google and such places are like a Wacky Warehouse such is the level of low key and dress down. Perhaps a toilet made out of soft furnishings would end constipation as well.

I try and have a comfy chair as I sit here talking to you all,with a bit of Gerry Rafferty playing in the background. As I am heavy and sit in the chair a lot they only last a year on average. I may replace the one in the photo soon, perhaps I should ask for a chair sponsorship from an office furniture company such as Staples. This story is brought to you by Staples printed at the bottom of my story. Or try and get a computer company to offer a free PC and printer, and not forgetting free unlimited Broadband. Sadly nobody anywhere would be so kind.

Its hard to know what anybody will like about a story, some people won’t get the joke, like one I tried to make about Scholes and Scholls tonight when I spotted somebody wearing a football shirt. All I can do is put my words out, on the page or live to people I meet and hope they get it.

 You have to be philosophical about it. If you get laughs 90% plus of the time then you are doing well. Some people will always think I’m an idiot, and not like what I say. I don’t like the Harry Potter books but a billion people do. Who is right on that one? Me or the billion readers?

Have you got the strength to stick to your guns against a billion to one others? Again it depends on your self confidence, and your self belief. Yes things are not always Black and White, and modern writers say White and Black to be trendy and thereby become a herd animal with words.

There are many shades of grey which is a Monkees’ song, and you have seen my hair after all. But you must always be true to yourself. But never say I’m Sorry But, say this is My Opinion, never say sorry but for having an opinion, you’ll be apologising for the colour of your eyes next. Though you do know I have nice eyes, its just everything else about me that stinks, especially my writing. See I stole the words from your mouth, perhaps I should go into Politics.

I have to watch the Press Preview on Sky now before bed, so I’ll leave you all pondering on tonights words. If you are as old as me you will remember Two Tribes by Frankie Goes to Holywood, if I remember right there was a video of Reagan and Gorbachev wrestling. Perhaps politicians should mud wrestle naked, then we can see all their shortcomings. And then laugh as we vote, it would be great reality tv.

Or am I just too far ahead of my time? Tick Tock the clock stops for no man. And when it does we argue with God that we just want a bit more time with our family. We feel exposed as God see us all naked, without any Philosophy. So if you are reading this God, I really did want to live till I was 100, but can I share my pain with a few sinners. I’ll let you chose who. Or am I trying to be too much like a god.

Come back in 2 hours I should have a new story ready for you

.something from 2010 or so/   to keep you going.

As I look out my Window ©

By

Michael Casey

As I look out my window the breeze gently rocks the rose bush in my front garden.

Loony Chick the teddy bear or should I say the teddy chick big and bright yellow sits in the front window. He or is it she, came all the way from Shanghai last Summer now Loony Chick sits in the window of our Birmingham home. But at least Loony Chick can still hear some Chinese every day and still smell Chinese food. So Life is normal for him or is it her? So what is normal? Having your own bed to sleep in and not some hotel far far away, not grandma's house in Shanghai, not an uncles house in Shanghai. Just normal, ordinary Birmingham. The clouds are so bright, the white white candy floss with all its funny shapes. The grey clouds are trying to group together to form rain clouds and then in the middle is the blue blue sky. This is Nature and is a Free Show, just as  the breeze can be like a kiss on the cheek, the flowers beginning to bloom, the buds on the buds on my neighbours apple tree next door, the golden chain at the bottom of my own garden. Transplanted 20 years ago and more from  my own mum's garden. The technicolour green grass in the garden, the bluebells in the flower bed and a few stray ones in the lawn itself. Grandpa's flower too, as we call one lone tulip which holds such memories for us. There are a few weeds too and some wild shamrock that survived  this harsh Winter just gone, scattered chalks in the yard, or should I say patio, which has drawings all over it, thanks to my artistic girls. Then there is the view of the washing line with small small clothes on it, until you see my "flags" giant items blowing in the wind, my clothes  are so big compared to my girls things. When I was in Shanghai the 1st time, now over 10years ago, we could locate Ma's house by my flags hanging from bamboo poles from the window ledge 4 stories up.

And the point of all my musings? Today everybody wants to talk about the new PM and the New Politics, and there will be much noise made. So instead of worrying about that, why not just sit sit back and have a nice cup of coffee and a Cadburys Crunchy Bar too. Look outside in the garden and see the bumble bees bumbling, see the magpies dance about, they may even steal your Crunchy Bar wrapper. Watch the clouds amble through the sky, listen to that ticking clock on the shelf besides the hugh Chinese/English dictionary, bound in red of course. The Tick Tock is soothing compared to the whine of the PC  processor at my feet, I can hear the back door close as my wife brings in the washing. All these are ordinary things BUT usually they go unobserved, take time out, if I dare mention a rival chocolate bar, take time out just to enjoy life. None of this costs any money nor takes any effort, BUT will be good for your Spirit, failing that just reach for the Johnny Walker Red Label, or in my case the Dr Pepper.

Don’t Abandon Your Future, There are many Futures ©

Don’t Abandon Your Future, There are many Futures ©

By

Michael Casey

I begin with irony and pain, my hips are getting better as I listen to the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album, and I’ve got to admit its getting better. Only for my left shoulder pain to appear and descend to my heart, you think you’ll have a heart attack but actually its “just” Arthur my arthritis in another position. Hence the irony, don’t abandon your future, as I reach for the Movelat gel, and I smile through the pain, don’t abandon my future etc.

So that’s not where I wanted to start but I suppose it highlights the fact that you never know what might happen, you never know just how your Future, you wanted to be a world famous writer and make lots of money for your kids’ Future. Though I don’t want the Fame, the money would be enough, or just enough money to pass on, providing my Care does not cost too much. Don’t show Theresa this piece or she’ll cry, again.

So instead you are found dead on the floor and the cat Totoro hits the keyboard and deletes your masterpiece, so your family stay in poverty eating fish finger finger sandwiches on Hovis. Actually cats do sit on keyboards so close the lid or push the keyboard away. Or Just don’t let the cat in the room while you take a leak.

I’ve digressed as usual, my Joyce Grenfell and Ronnie Corbett on Speed style of writing, it wasn’t planned it just emerged, you can Google them and let them entertain you if you don’t like my stuff.

My daughter is having chill time during the half term, and as she is so super industrious as a student I just asked her had she changed her mind about being a doctor. I then added that there are Many Futures, so if you don’t get one there is always another, so all of the students out there should bear that in mind when the Results arrive in two months time.

Look at my path just by way of example. Tax Office, March Assessor, Computer Operator with interlude at paint factory, otherwise 21 years at the same place, City Hall Computer room, Trainee Betting Shop Manager, 3 years at CPNEC Birmingham at the Hotel where I did everything, 10 roles on a regular basis, Life Insurance Underwriter Non Medical, 3 years Pinsent Masons Law Firm, Esol English Teacher, House Husband or Hausfrau, being there for the girls while the wife went to work.

We want somebody to be home to feed and water the girls when they come home from school. As well as spells of unemployment before becoming full time Hausfrau. Not to mention 2013 when my Arthritis arrived, then 2015 when I went in as a 999, with Arthritis pain, my heart was not too bad, the but once they saw the results of Heart tests I had started to have weeks previously they decided to keep me in, and after more tests, 10 days later 13 Jan 2015 I had what turned out to be a Quadruple Heart Bypass.

So there you go, that’s why there is a Bucket and me on the cover of Still Alive 2015. I’ve also written 4 other books since then, you can count them https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Casey/e/B00571G0YC 

Nobody can predict what will or won’t be, nobody knows. You may have a Golden Life, rich family and live in a mansion and a beautiful wife. Then one day you’ll wake up and realise its just a bucket, like the one on the front cover of Still Alive 2015. That’s why you have Hippies having a Quest for meaning, and experiencing altered realities via dope and drugs.

Really, and I’m speaking from my own life experience, not some book, or cult. The true journey is Within, its your Interior Life, you can Google that if you don’t know the concept. Its your Family, they are what makes the difference. Money sticks to Money, but when the money goes what’s left? Will Money like you? Money isn’t Bad, its the Love of Money which is. There is a difference and you don’t have to be a Bible scholar to know that.

Family is the boat we sail in, when the storm comes, and it will, and there may be many, many many. It depends on many many things, life is a weather forecast after all. So what are you going to do? Who are you going to call? Ghostbusters? Or curse three times like Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral. F-, F-, F-

Or the 3 Fs, Family, Friends, Faith. We all have uncertain futures, me I just hope to live to see my girls grow up into strong women. I don’t know God’s plan for me, or even if he has one, that’s philosophy by the way, so I may touch on that in my next piece. I had one future, the door was slammed in my face. So I had another path, then another then another. Not forgetting stumbling into writing and marriage with children.

If you have a setback you start again, you never never surrender, I did not learn that from Churchill either. His bar bill was equal to 3 people’s salary, there was a programme on tv about it, hence the quote. Old Boris Johnson wrote a book about him recently. Go read that if you won’t buy any of my books. You make your own Future. You live with and through your disasters in life, whatever they are. A Golden marriage turned to dust as she ran away with the milkman or her personal trainer, not that Theresa may or may not do that. She could run away with Jezza and live on his allotment, living on his potatoes and onions.

Whatever happens you have to deal with it. But Never ever ever have a Keep Calm And sign in your home or the Devil himself will come for your Soul. A sign is rubbish, its what’s in you that makes you you. Its that that determines your Future, everybody’s Future.

I’ve given you the tip of iceberg by sharing, ok boring you with some of my life in just over a 1000 words. You have to move on and do the best with what you’ve got. If you wanted a better house, job, car or life, then you have to work for it. And if you don’t get the Sun be satisfied with the Moon, but always look to the Stars even if you are in the Gutter.

One final thing when you go to bed and you turn out the lights, you are making love to, anybody you like, in reality or in your dreams. The Beatles are singing All You Need is Love as I finish. So you are making love to your husband/lover/boyfriend/toyboy or the female equivalents. It’s all in your imagination.

 Am I Shakespeare and the product of my loins are 1,070,000 words on a page, or am I just a figment or your imagination or a REALLY BAD DREAM.  

Morning All 31st May 2017

Well its 3rd morning waking up as if I was a kebab on a spit through my hips gently roasting. takes a few hours for my body to get to "normal" So don't have Arthur arthritis any of you, lots of pain

OK I'll not bore you any more.

I do have 2 ideas for stories this morning,
Philosophy in Pyjamas
plus
Don't abandon your Future there are many Futures

Which could apply to Kim in North Korea
or
Trump in USA

either linked or unlinked

we have 1/2 term hols here so my daughter is chilling a lot half way through her exams, she even had her Prom, with 4 heavily armed Police at the door, because of the Manchester massacre.

It must be so unbearable for Manchester People, I can remember Northerners visiting CPNEC and they were always the best, loud and proud. Give us a kiss Michael and show us the photos, one lady used to say when she arrived. and I'd share the latest snaps of my then Toddlers.

Happy Happy Times

I'll  write my latest "masterpieces" later on 1,075,000 words is now the total, and I have 38,000 words so far ready for 14UP which will be my next book. Out of interest would you prefer blank book covers instead of my ugly mug staring out from the covers?

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Casey/e/B00571G0YC     to see  all my covers

Politics and Poland

I've just watched Theresa and  Jerry do their stuff.
Afterwards somebody who could lose a lot of his house value to potential pay for his social care
said he'd still vote Tory.
An a traditional Labour voter was thinking of voting Tory because of the Business taxes.
Then in Inner cities in Wolverhampton the asian vote on tv is thinking Tory.
So that indicates to me that the Tories will will even after a major wobble.

Not very scientific. but we'll know in 10 days time.

As for Poland I've reloaded some of my Polish Translations to this site.

I did produce 3 books in Polish but Amazon says its Kindle is not yet read for the Polish language, so those Translations are waiting for Amazon. Not Unless you know any Polish Publishers.

Thanks for reading this

Michael Casey


Właśnie patrzyłem, jak Theresa i Jerry robią swoje rzeczy. Później ktoś, kto mógłby stracić wiele swojej wartości domowej na potencjalne wynagrodzenie za jego opiekę społeczną Powiedział, że nadal głosuje na Tory. Tradycyjny wyborca ​​pracy myślał o głosowaniu Tory ze względu na podatki od działalności gospodarczej. Wtedy w wewnętrznych miastach w Wolverhampton głos azjatycki w TV myśli Tory. To wskazuje mi, że tory będą nawet po znacznym wahaniu. Nie bardzo naukowy. Ale będziemy wiedzieć w ciągu 10 dni. Jeśli chodzi o Polskę, ponownie załadowałam niektóre polskie tłumaczenia w tej witrynie. Zrobiłem 3 książki w języku polskim, ale Amazon mówi, że jego Kindle nie jest jeszcze w języku polskim, więc tłumaczenia czekają na Amazonkę. Chyba że znasz jakieś polskie Wydawcy. Dzięki za to przeczytanie Michael Casey

this chair is falling apart I need to replace it a 12inch bolt came out of it, either that or a North Korean hit team put it there...

Numbers and your Life

Numbers and your Life ©

By

Michael Casey

I was looking at a house online, we are viewing it soon, and I thought about the house number. It does not matter a damn or does it? Would you live in a house numbered 13? Or would you rename it Thirteen, just to be on the safe side? In the next street there was a house number 13, a man died in it and his body was not discovered for a while. Would the present happy family living there recoil if they knew. It was over 20 years ago, his name  was Brian, life of Brian or death of Brian if you like. He had a goatee and a very fat dog. So that’s number 13 for you, not forgetting Judas being the 13^th man.

In Chinese the number 4 sounds like the word for Death, go to your local Chinese takeaway tonight and ask them to say 4 and Death and see if you can spot the difference. And get me some prawn crackers while you are there. I bring this up because along time ago a house numbered 4 came up but my wife immediately said NO. In Chinese there are 5 accents or tones, so Ma can mean Mum/Ma or Horse. So be very careful with your pronunciation. Or you could be very unlucky and get a clip around your ear, no matter what number house you live in.

I’ve just had a look at the Numerology site on the Internet its amusing and makes you think too. Numbers and their combinations matter to people, such as Birthdays and Anniversaries. So Numerology has much to say about numbers though I could say much to say about nothing if I bastardise Shakespeare. I will be meeting Will down the Trader in Old Forge and Singing Anvil tonight so I’ll apologise to him then, he owes me a drink for saving his life. But that’s not in any of his plays as Anne can be quiet a bitch at times, his words not mine.

So 11^th Nov 1977 , or 111177 is a magic number in my own life. My dad’s Birthday, he was 56 then. I was 19, my life had changed, I had a door slammed and locked in my face. Though it turned out to be a turning point in my life as it led to me turning a corner and ending up as a computer operator 6 months later. I can remember my dad shaving in the kitchen sink, the bathroom was so cold after all, and he said something would turn up.My eldest brother said try computers and that led to secure employment for 21 years, the angel on my wall is the leaving present from that job.

So that date is burnt into my brain, the other thing my brother said years later was look at the negatives when buying a house. So estate agents already know to their cost what I want, thanks to my brother’s advice.

Are there any other special numbers, yes of course there are. The day I get my first Royalty check, the day my play Shoplife is on the stage maybe with Julian Cleary and Lilly Savage as my Angels. My mother used to say with the Help of God and two Policemen. Perhaps God does finally help with my Artistic side, and its 2 Gay men instead of two Policemen. I have no idea what either of them knows about handcuffs and truncheons, maybe they’ll taser me for my cheek, should I turn the other one?

I should say though that would be Futurology, not Numerology, apart from when the money comes in, though round the back of where I live there is an accountant, we used to be altar boys together. Fact is stranger that Fiction always, I just hope I have a talent to amuse people. That’s not about numbers, lucky or otherwise, its about sweat and hard work. Though the Help of God and Two Policemen would be greatly appreciated, whether or not they are Gay is unimportant, just a sense of humour required.

***********

a few hours later my daughter said she wanted a new book, a trilogy in fact called NUMBERS....

Stating the Obvious

I'll state the obvious. I know from 15 years ago that my "serious" pieces are not "liked" as much as the humour pieces. A guy I met at CPNEC had a look at my then site and said as much.

I also know from my computer room days, and I started in 1978. And there's another story to be told before I got there.

But back in 1978 we had AC and silver foil like protection for the computer room so it would not get too hot.  And that's why I wear shades, because it was so bright outside after you left the computer room.

 Later we had surge protection, Bill Lucy was our electrician, hello to him if he sees this.

So when I read that today BA was brought to its knees, and NHS also had major problems I ask myself, are they just stupid or what?

If you remember the James Bond film where Bond first meets the new Q and Q says while in his pyjamas he can bring mayhem to the world THEN

You all know that Computer control the  world.

So YOU DO AT LEAST 3 BACKUPS, AND HAVE THEM OFF SITE

YOU UPDATE SOFTWARE RELIGIOUSLY

YOU HAVE AT LEAST DOUBLE OR TRIPLE POWER REDUNDANCY

SO IF THE POWER DOES ITS BACK UP IN SECONDS

IF THINGS ARE SO COMPUTER RELIANT WHY IS THIS NOT DONE

THESE THINGS ARE NO BRAINERS IN TODAYS  WORLD

COST IS NOT AN EXCUSE

DO WE ALL WANT TO BE BACK IN THE STONE AGE WITHOUT COMPUTERS?

WE WON'T LOSE FACEBOOK AS THEY HAVE COOL SERVERS ETC

IF FACEBOOK WENT DOWN 2 BILLION PEOPLE WOULD COMPLAIN

BUT IF ALL SORTS OF UTILITIES GO DOWN PEOPLE WOULD NOT COMPLAIN AS MUCH

SO WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT FRIENDING STRANGERS ON FACEBOOK

OR HAVING UNINTERRUPTED WATER OF ELECTRICITY

AND IF MARK ZEE IS READING THIS STOP POSING FOR YOUR PRESIDENTIAL RUN

FACEBOOK MUST COMPLY WITH MEDIA LAWS, THAT'S COMMON SENSE TOO

OR IS THE BOTTOM LINE JUST MONEY TO FINANCE THAT PRESIDENTIAL RUN

THIS IS ALL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN EVERY FORM.

AND NO I'LL NEVER RUN FOR ANY OFFICE, JUST FOR PAINKILLERS FOR MY

ARTHRITIS.

SO MR ZEE HOW ABOUT PUTTING 1,000,000,000 USD INTO A PAIN RELIEF FOUNDATION

AND GET YOUR FRIENDS AT DAVOS TO DO THE SAME.

THEN FACEBOOK WOULDN'T JUST BE A WASTE OF MONEY

SILLY SPEECHES MASSAGING YOUR EGO OR CONSCIENCE ARE NO GOOD WHEN YOU

FACE YOUR MAKER IF YOU BELIEVE IN ANYTHING.

BUT I'D APPLAUD IF YOU DID SOMETHING FOR THE LEAST OF MY BRETHREN

YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM BG.......


so I'll stick to my comedy in future, but I do have a brain too.
and why did I add this snap to this piece?

Michael Casey 28/May/2017

The Ballet Dancer who met the Belly Dancer

The Ballet Dancer who met the Belly Dancer ©

By Michael Casey

Now they say that Truth is stranger than Fiction, so the Tale I’m about to relate is 100% true, especially the unbelievable bits. There was once a girl I was chasing, and she introduced me to Ballet. I had got a buy one get one free offer from the Hippodrome here in Birmingham, it was actually on the anniversary of my mother’s death. So was my mother pulling strings from beyond the grave?

Anyway we went to the ballet, and so when I went on holiday to Barcelona in the Spring I noticed a sign saying Russian Ballet and it was £10 which is cheap for ballet even back then. The night before the ballet was due to be on I was in a bar in Las Ramblas, I noticed a girl with really pretty chestnut hair, so obviously I spoke to her. She turned around and had a strong American accent, and a broken nose to match. She said she was a student.

I staggered home to my hotel in Pallell Ley, I had managed to relearn my Spanish by doing 15 mins of study every day for 3 months prior to my trip to Barcelona. It was 25 years since the exam and I’d never been to Spain. I was really pleased with how my Spanish worked. Now I was going to go to Russian Ballet in Barcelona. The next day I got to the theatre early and we had a selection from the Nutcracker. Two days ago I took my 2 daughters to see it here at the Hippodrome, the Birmingham Royal Ballet now has its home in Birmingham.

The Russian Ballet had 2 giant speakers but no orchestra, but it did have great dancers. As I watched I noticed a girl with great hair and as she danced closer and turned I could see she had a broken nose, it was the girl I had met in the bar the night before. I told my friend the story when I got back to Birmingham, we both laughed. There was a giant ballet set for the Arena off Broad St so we decided to go there. Yes who came dancing across the acres of stage, only the Russian with the broken nose. I laughed, my friend was overwhelmed by the men in tights, I’ll say no more than that.

My friend stayed a friend, but years later my second daughter reminds me of her, the same mannerisms, 12 going on 80. Now later that year I met my future wife, and yes you’ve guessed it, she was a ballet dancer. Well only in a photo that her mum had back in the flat in Shanghai. However my wife had a friend who WAS a ballerina in the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Yes Really. I was in fact positively vetted by Lai, we met in a straight pub in the gay quarter, the Queens Tavern up the side of the Hippodrome. Lai was wearing a bomber jacket, as if she had landed her plane on the roof of the Hippodrome. In Chinese Lai questioned my wife about me and my prospects. In the end it was the fact that I was a Christian that swung it for me.

Now I am married to a Shanghai girl, who looks 20 years younger than she is, I look as old as Santa Claus, with a quadruple heart bypass and painful arthritis, and we have 2 very clever and pretty daughters. It’s God’s sense of humour, ugly dads have beautiful daughters, and let’s not forget what my mother once told me, Love will Conquer All.

So now my girls have discovered the Birmingham Royal Ballet, at least Subway around the corner from it IS cheap, I was there 2 days ago before and after The Nutcracker, and I can say the two lads running it are very nice, as is the food. So dine at Subway before and after the ballet. You may bump into us at Beauty and The Beast and at Subway.

Ballet is very graceful, and yes I am more like a belly dancer myself. As I watched the Nutcracker I shed a gentle tear in the dark as I looked at my 2 daughters beside me, last Christmas could have been my last Christmas but for the Grace of God. As we all know Ballet Dancing is God’s Belly Dancing.