Summer Lack of Love

Currently in a boiling top floor of Belfast's Central Library.  One has switched off all notifications from news outlets and am avoiding the general use of the internet.  I'm sure you'll all remember this day fondly - especially the happy couple.

But I'm going to wheel out my cynical nature and not be bothered.

That's not to say that I am cynical about love.  These days I'm exceptionally happy to see two people come together and find love.  And I'm even happier when it works out for the best.

A dose of realism on my own circumstances.  The good Belfast weather has helped put negativity at bay.  Love isn't something I'm looking for.  Books and time to read them are my priorities.  I think that's a Romantic life in itself.

There may be a lack of a love life but not a love of life.

I came up with that just now.

Yesterday I went to see Life of the Party starring Melissa McCarthy.  I like Melissa.  Even in the lesser films she tends to be the funniest thing in them.  I never feel that there's a bad bone in her - that her sole objective is to help find herself and have fun whilst doing it.  That's the case in The Heat where she plays a foul mouthed, unorthodox cop who is teamed up with Sandra Bullock's more timid agent.

Life of the Party is ok.  It passed an afternoon.  I got a few giggles.  And nothing really struck me.

Except that maybe as we get older we do still think that we can be younger.  I suppose what I've learnt is that there's nothing wrong with being older.  In fact, I'm starting to prefer it.

I agreed to work tonight.  Which is fine I guess.  Money is always useful.  Considering I saw my latest payslip, I will have to try beefing it up.  It's not as if I'm doing anything else.  Except trying to find time to read.

And maybe do the laundry.  You'd think by this point I'd have found a way to juggle them both.

And between you and I, I may go music shopping.  I haven't treated myself to anything for a long time.  A couple of CDs would be perfect to grab and chill out to later.  CDs aren't expensive by today's standards.  I'm not buying vinyl.  Not for the time being..  Considering my vinyl player is half the speed it should be.  Hearing Ozzy Osbourne sing Over the Mountain but stretched out makes it sound as if I'm at one of his more recent concerts.

Mean?  I dread to think of how Marilyn Manson will sound in ten years.

Europe I'll miss you. Until we meet again.

With less than a year to go to Brexit's deadline, many of us Remainers are now doing what Leavers are supposedly accused of.  Nostalgia.  Leavers are often accused of dreaming of past days before the EU - and how much better it was.  Now the chop hasn't occurred yet and I guarantee the younger generations are already yearning for the idyllic Europe trip that their local art house cinema has shown them.  Because soon enough it'll feel as if it's been cut off forever.

It won't be.  According to our glorious Prime Minister, "We are leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe."  Thanks Theresa.  I knew we could count on you.

But if you are feeling that yearning for the culture Europe has to offer, you may wish to tune into your television tonight at 8.00pm on BBCONE.

Yes!  It's that time again.  Where Chris doesn't shut up for weeks on end beforehand.  Where we see how pretty the genetic pool is on the continent.  And that music will be camp and colourful and scrumptious.

Welcome back Eurovision.

As I'm pretty poor this summer, I can't make it to any of our neighbours.  So the next best thing is to revel in competing tunes that will have gay bars dancing for the rest of the summer.

The only other thing I have is a small collection of European films on Netflix.  That's how I learn the smallest of phrases for when I finally do get to holiday.

Granted I am scared of Brexit.  Of how I'll move through airports.  Of how the economy may have detrimental effects to knock on various other jobs.  Of how the "problems" Brexit will supposedly clear up will probably still be with us.

But for now let's enjoy what Europe has to offer.

The joke that Britain would be expelled from Eurovision after Brexit did circulate.  I guarantee if that was the case, all of the gay community would have rallied to stay within.