KC: 'Americans need to learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists' John Cleese |
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KC: Regarding my review from 'the stranger' regarding 'the Bar': I forgot to mention - no smoking ban so its also smoke-filled (you cannot wear the clothes you wore the next day). Maybe add a stanza. The bar is American in Bahrain - like Rics in the film Casablanca but without the dinner jackets, cool piano playing and glamourous women. KC |
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KC: In response to judiverse on reviewing 'Traits'. My posted poems are usually quite a while after I have written them (usually on scraps of paper, notebooks, pub serviettes) so not quite sure what prompted this. But on reflection it seems that these traits* are very 'cold' and can be so easily contrived - unlike honesty, kindness, gentleness, tenderness which come from the heart not from the head or a written document. What do you think? Maybe inspired by Paul Simon's song (they are all poems actually) - Tenderness. Thanks again. Take care. Kevin *Fairness, Worthiness, Indiscretion, Honesty,Truth - all 'gossamer concepts' (from the poem). |
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KC: This is my reply to adewpearl (Brooke)'s query about Americans and how they use a knife and fork ('The Redundant Knife'). Thanks Brooke for this review. And thanks for being so nice about my dig at my US cousins! I hope I can answer your question! Ok ..... The 'correct'/accepted way (sorry I'm a Brit!!) is to eat a meal that requires a knife and fork (like steak and chips - fries to you, not sandwiches etc.) is to hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand throughout the meal - whether you are right or left handed, and to keep them there. Also to keep the fork turned down to the plate not to the sky like a spoon- even if eating peas! The 'American' way is to leave the knife on the table and try to eat the meal only with the fork - in the right hand, including trying to cut up meat - with the side of the fork, which is of course blunt! - which usually means hacking the meat to bits. Only when the meat is particualry tough will the knife be used - but relucantly! - with the fork put in the left hand but used like a 'stabbing spear' to hold the meat down (as if it's alive still!)while the knife in the right hand 'saws' bits off. Then the knife is put down, the fork returned to the right hand and off we go again - with the knife again redundant. The outcome of this ritual is usally to leave the left hand also 'redundant' which invariably finds its way into the left hand pocket, leading to 'slouching' in the seat, or the whole left arm is then rested on the table in front of the plate - either outcome leading to bad digestion (American men are top of the world obsesity table as you know - for women its Bahrain) but either way just looking so ungainly and sloppy. I have been to the US 3 times and also work as an international consultant so have plenty of evidence. I could go on - but you probably already think I'm a pompous, pendantic git! Anyway, tell my US friends not to worry, my retirement project(when I get there) is to tour America teaching my US friends how to use a knife and fork correctly - my small contribution to the cultural development of our former colony! I can do the 'how to eat soup' guidance also! Hope you take all this in good humour - my family just say I'm a 'grumpy old man'! Cheers!! K |
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KC: Some days I could rule the world - others, crawl under a rock and hide. |
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KC: I'm drowning in a sea, of hopeless mediocrity. |
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KC: I hate sloppy journalism. |
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KC: Why do guys, invariably American, wear caps indoors when its neither raining nor sunny? And wear them reversed? And wear their sunglasses on top - again indoors - and why have sunglasses with them when its nighttime? One of life's mysteries. |
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KC: A little ditty: Geeks with beaks And prats with caps Are slowly killing me But caps reversed I'm sorely cursed I'll murder without fee. |
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KC: Paul Simon is a great poet - his songs tell stories and have messages that are so heartfelt. I love the poetry of 'I am a Rock'. |
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KC: This is my reply to the poem 'Reflecting - alphabetically': Thanks for this ... Ok ... here goes the philosophical stuff: A - H represents birth and childhood (boy, first, golden hello ... innocence when everyone you meet is sweet, kind, untarnished ...) I - M : teenage angst - a call to not being so serious, when everything is black or white ... maximise levity: a call to have fun and not be so 'heavy' as teenagers are N - V: middle age ... as we get older we reflect on our past more and more ... queries (problems, decisions, strife - all the things our earlier years did not contain ... 'undiluted virtue': a quest for perfection in our life which we never achieve (reverberate soundlessly - not ringing joyously with our achievements) W - Z: old age (of course) where we are more 'wistful' and xylophones are instruments that 'clank' as our bodies do (and is a reflection to my/our childhood - I had a toy xylophone) and finally 'Zen-like' our final moments when we become spiritual and hopefully at peace. ..... or just a clever play on words? who knows? poetry comes from the soul, the heart, the mind and has many different meanings (and purposes) for both the writer and the reader. How did you interpret it? Sometimes when I read stuff I have written in the bar the night before I cannot remember ever writing it! |
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Alphabetically' MILES - | ||
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KC: 'Bores are thieves; they steal your time' - quoted in the Kenneth Williams diaries from Phil Silvers (aka Sgt Bilko) while filming 'Carry On Follow That Camel'. There are loads of great quotes from KW in the book. The book itself (only published after his death) is a great read. Its not only a history of UK light entertainment in the 50s, 60s, 70s but also an amazing insight into a very private, different persona than the public image KW created. Highly recommended. Bores also steal your patience, space and tolerance. |
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