“Never lose sight of survival”
Lots has happened since last we met.
Ovens and dishwashers broke; special measures were removed and kids got sick then passed it on to us. I guess it was a testing end to 2018 / start to ’19, all about survival… Oh, and we had no choice but to laugh along with the ‘oh so’ loveables.
Frankly, my dear, I find it almost impossible to care – Morrissey – because I have much more in my life, as a great Christmas proved.
New Year would be good, too, and to make me feel better about the twelve months ahead I went to see the Marine v Lancaster match (I once played for the Dolly Blues) and then the same evening we started watching Luther which we loved. Then, a few days later, went to watch a pantomime which was excellent and the whole family was starstruck in the presence of a hero although this time it was PC Plum from Balamory) and – as if to prove my point about the pathetic idiocy of so many who don’t – got to a match, despite everything.
It was great to be back, and Bernard’s delightful chip harked back to the likes of Nevin or Pienaar, which was nice.
New year’s resolutions involved taking up running again – only a couple of miles along the front, a couple of times a week so far but I’m really feeling the physical and psychological benefits – and actually watching things, starting with Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’ which was crude and funny and – despite teaching the stuff – I actually felt was too young for me. A sign of getting old, as was the next streaming choice when I spent ages afterwards poring over the theories people were sharing about it possible being a representation of the challenges having children brings.
I was deeply disturbed by, but also really liked, Bird Box and the concept behind it. I was especially interested in the possible meaning or allegories therein, mainly of – spoiler alert – the fears of parenthood or links between social media and mental health. I even wondered if the titular birds were somehow linked to the Twitter logo.
However, thus far we have mostly loved ‘Kidding’ with Jim Carrey (directed by the dreamy and ingenious Michel Gondry) despite its dark undertones… plus, I also enjoyed the coverage of the spying by Marcelo Bielsa – whom I somewhat controversially wanted as Everton boss two years ago – which reminded me of a trip to meet Gazza at Bellefield back in 2002.
Getting a shirt signed for the now defunct Sports Bar in town, me and the rabid Blue chef arrived early and after we went through the gates excitedly, met said (now disgraced) superstar in the canteen as a young Rooney and his team mates watched on. We were then invited to witness a debacle of a training session, when Walter and Archie let the majority of the first team squad kick about aimlessly whilst Gascoigne trained alone and Gravesen had a laugh with us… pre-drones, we could have been spies, but who would have cared back then? I admire the Leeds boss for his endeavour and dedication, and begrudge Derby plus any other overly defensive team he has the ingenuity to unpick.
Anyway, back to school we went – plus ca change etc – and normal life prevailed, with a sojourn to the rather brilliant Bands FC exhibition in town which – if you haven’t seen already – featured similarly ingenious ideas about melding bands with teams and coming up with at times, very clever pastiches (sometimes using quite tenuous, but very intelligent, links) and all very beautiful. There are loads more examples of their creativity on Twitter and you can buy postcards and badges at the BME in the Cunard Building.
It was a nice reminder of my creative well, still existing somewhere in this country which we currently find in a terrible state. Since new year, politics has taken even more prevalence; whoever you support or vote for, the mess gets messier and its importance was mirrored when you watched the incredible ‘Hospital’ on BBC which documented the reality of life in the many diverse hospitals across Merseyside. Having been treated well by three of the featured hospitals, especially with the birth of my daughter and then the life-saving care for my son, it was a teary watch but then when we knew one of the families featured, it really brought home how lucky we are to have such care on our doorsteps.
Similarly, it’s thoughts like that which keep you sane in the midst of sporting disappointment of but any feelings being let down in some way, dissipated the following week.
The Andre Gomes Hug-a-thon was a surreal experience I’ll never forget.
First of all, it was a brilliant gesture by the club and the EiTC and I marvel at the good work they’re regularly doing. Mental health is close to my heart, both personally and professionally, so I’m glad they are making it so high profile when planning the People’s Place project. Anyway, I bought the tickets after a few pre-Christmas drinks, which was why I only bought three. I’ll be honest, my wife doesn’t know who he is and I was kind of hoping she could take a picture of me and the kids with him.
As it turned out, it was even better than I could have imagined (although she’s now gutted I didn’t include her) as we enjoyed a crazy couple of hours in the Alex Young Suite and the dressing room which culminated in what felt like stardom.
Gomes himself was a true gent, the event was very well planned and organised and it felt totally normal to hug one of the best players I’ve watched for a long time. That he has played with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo only dawned on me later, but he was so great with my kids and seemed genuinely humbled by the adoration he received on the night, I respected him even more just as a man and not a famous footballer with 1.9 million followers on Instagram.
It was that proud moment of the kids’ first proper trip to Goodison since being in the womb, and their first chance to see the splendour. Walking past the Main Stand, I was pointing out the plaques and the important names thereon. It was as perfect a first visit as I could have wished for… yes, we all know it’ll probably be all downhill from here.
At least they have been there, and were in this:
What made it all the more memorable was that we all featured on the summary film tweeted out a couple of days later, then in more detail on the official YouTube documentary, which was a tear-jerking surprise and meant we have the memory forever. This club of ours does do some amazing things at times, which makes the disappointments all the more frustrating, but heightens the love.
It’s a shame so many don’t get it; that we have something they’ll never have.
And, talking of which: wisdom!
AKA extreme toothache for a month: impacted wisdom teeth, culminating in a breakout of pericoronitis and subsequent sleepless nights followed by (somewhat expensive) emergency dental treatment and a real fear of what might happen at the dental hospital… plus, important allergies meaning that strong antibiotics resulted in the first weekend in a long time when that celebratory thimble of sherry wasn’t supped to toast the end of another successful week.
And, do you know what? I quite liked it.
I also really liked the quality weekends we’re enjoying, another new year’s res being kept to. Port Sunlight for a Quentin Blake exhibition; New Brighton in the freezing fog and a Jedi Training party I luckily attended with a mini Rey, which was just fantastic.
Oh, and then we gathered to finish watching the somewhat surreal ‘Supersonic Saucer’ after I’d started watching on my sick day, through the pain. It was a 1956 pre-cursor to E. T., in which a cute-yet-sinister flying saucer (Miba, apparently ‘an alien from Venus’ with strangely hairy eyes) flies down to earth to be looked after by three kids, one of whom can ‘read’ its thoughts.
Maybe this year of turning forty will offer a multitude of other new, unexpected experiences if this first month is anything to go by…
Regardless of the horror shows – on and off the pitch, on and off the screen, on and off the timeline – let’s all take off the metaphorical blindfolds, and see for ourselves rather than through the eyes of others (or just not at all!)