Travel blogging can be a great hobby. In addition to travelling the world, you will be able to make money from the blog. Before you start travel blogging, you need to take note of a few things, and we will discuss them in this article.
Important Things to Know as a Travel Blogger
Protect Your Network
When travelling, you may need to connect to public Wi-Fi services. Such connections can be highly insecure, and that is why you need to learn how to protect your network. One thing you should do is to use IT security programs. These will monitor the traffic going to your website and devices, and any malicious users will be prevented from accessing your network. It is also worth noting that IT security programs can be extremely effective in protecting networks from virus attacks.
Another benefit of using an IT security program is that you will be able to stop spyware from accessing your files. These programs can easily steal your data and control your computer. You should consider getting integrated security programs as these will be easier to update and keep track of.
Learn the Local Languages
As a travel blogger, you are likely to visit many countries that don’t speak English. To get around the places, you will have to learn some useful phrases in the local language. While some countries may have a large number of English speakers, you will usually come off as impolite if you initiate conversations in English. Learning local languages can also help with casual dating in the places you will visit. Since it might be impractical to become fluent in new languages in short periods, you should consider using translator apps.
Create a Website and Social Media Accounts
You will also need to create a website for your travel blog, and this should have a unique domain name. If you want to make money from the site, you should avoid going for free hosting services. In addition to your website, you have to create social media accounts. This way, you will be able to showcase pictures and videos from your trips, and this can create interest in the blog. When you build your following on social media, you can poll your viewers for your next travel destination.
Diversify Your Income Sources
As you start, you may not be able to make good money with your travel blog. For this reason, you need to raise money from other sources. One of the best ways of making money while travelling is to write articles for other websites. If you’ve stayed long enough in a specific place, you can also work as a tour guide. To do this, you can connect with tourists on social media. Lots of people will be more willing to pay for your services if you can show them that you understand the local culture adequately. You can also make use of your skills as you travel. For example, if you are able to develop websites or applications, you can market these services online.
Conclusion
Before you start travel blogging, you should take note of a few things. First, you need to protect your network as this will prevent the loss of your essential data. You should also learn some useful phrases in the local language. To grow your following, you should create accounts on all major social media sites. Finally, you should diversify your income sources.
Canada is one of the most sought after countries when it comes to travel and tourism. Canada is an incredibly beautiful country in the far northern part of North America, covering almost ten million square kilometers of land.
Canada: Best Foods to Try
Its three territories and ten provinces extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, covering 9.99 million square kilometers, making it the second-largest country in terms of land area by surface area.
Because it is one of the world’s largest countries, Canada offers something for every traveler, ranging from ski holidays in Banff National Park to trekking trips to Glacier National Park or adventure tours to Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Canadian eTA
When planning your trip to Canada, it is essential to remember that travel is more than just taking a plane and getting there. Canada has many options for tourists who want to experience Canada’s rich history while experiencing a wide variety of activities that make the country a favorite with visitors from all over the world.
However, to enjoy all of the tourist attractions and fully explore Canada, all travelers need to obtain their eTA permits. eTA Canada – get online on etacanadaonline.com for a stress-free visa handling experience!
The Electronic Travel Authorization and serves as a visa permit to Canada. eTA Canada stays valid for 5 years from the visa issue date and allows numerous visits to Canada; each one can be as long as six months!
Apply online, fill an online application form with your data, pay the 49 Euro fee, and check your e-mail box for the eTA PDF version.
Best foods to try in Canada
There are many sites, museums, and tourist attractions in Canada that are sure to provide a great holiday experience. Whether you are a tourist looking for something new to do and see or someone who wants to relax in one of the many beautiful areas within the boundaries of the country.
Canada: Best Foods to Try
Along with visiting the most prominent tourist destinations, try the best foods popular in Canada for a complete experience!
Poutine
Poutine is genuinely a divine dish comprised of deep-fried potatoes and gravy topped with Canadian cheese curds. At it’s most basic, poutine consists of a crispy, cheesy, red gravy-laden masterpiece.
In today’s restaurants, this is a popular option on the menu. Many restaurants will have a variety of options available such as their poutine dip. However, you can still find variations of the basic poutine on the menu that are more traditional.
Butter tarts
Known worldwide, a unique Canadian baked dessert, butter tarts have become a staple treat for the millions of people who cannot live without them. Nothing quite beats the soft, flaky pastry full of a perfectly sweet-smelling middle.
These are so versatile because you can bake them in several different ways, and they will still keep their traditional shape and flavor. You can eat it with the fresh fruit filling.
E.g., an apple provides a sweet flavour while the tart contrasts to the creamy filling, which is so buttery it’s hard to resist. If you want something more exotic and decadent, you can choose to add a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Montreal Bagel
Canada is known for its fantastic bagel recipes. From classic Jewish favorites like the Montreal bagel to the sweet and salty flavors of New York Bagel, the variety of options available are excellent.
The texture and softness of the Montreal bagel lend them so well to being eaten plain as well. This means that when you make a batch of Montreal Bagels, just put them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them!
Before trying to make it yourself, try one while visiting Canada to have an accurate comparison later on.
Other foods worth trying:
Salmon Jerky
Canadian Pizza
Saskatoon Berry Pie
Ketchup Chips
Maple Syrup
Montreal Smoked Meat
Final Words
Visit Canada with the Candian eTA. Explore all of the tourist destinations and try the local foods in each one! There is so much to see.
Depending on what country you live in you have played lottery games all of your adult life. You might have seen people you know play them as well. But did you know that not every country even has a lottery? In fact, there are several countries that don’t have a lottery of any kind and several more that have very limited lottery options.
For countries like the United States and United Kingdom, where lottery is quite popular, this might seem strange, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re interested in playing even more games yourself. After all, you might be tempted to play a lottery game in every available country, at least once anyway, right?
Some countries that don’t have a lottery of any kind include:
– United Arab Emirates
– Saudi Arabia
– Brunei
– Cambodia
– North Korea
– Japan
– Cyprus
– Qatar
While these countries have limitations and bans on gambling that vary from one to another, none of them carry out lottery of a kind similar to what you might find in countries like the United States. That means you’re not going to be able to participate online with these countries, but there are still plenty of other countries that you can check out.
You’ll find lotteries, and especially national lotteries, in a range of other countries around the world. In fact, there are too many countries with national lottery for us to even list them all. So, we’ll suffice it to say that most every country around the world has some form of lottery available if they’re not on the list above. And that means you’re going to have plenty of options for different lotteries to get involved with.
For those who want to get involved in these national lotteries, however, it’s not possible to jump into all of the different lottery games. Some of these countries do offer national lotteries, but not all of them allow people from other countries to play. Not all of them have online systems available to purchase tickets either. As a result, you’re still going to be somewhat limited in which countries’ national lottery games you want to participate in. But first you need to know how to even get started, right?
Playing online lottery in any country is actually easier than you might think. That’s because you can check out a website like RedFoxLotto.com to find out more about the options and to get started. All you have to do is click here and you’ll immediately see why RedFoxLotto.com is the premier place for you to start playing all of those online lottery games from all over the world.
With Red Fox Lotto you’re going to have access to games from different countries, and plenty of different options in each of them. You’ll be able to choose the game you want to play, how much you want to spend, and what numbers you want to bet. Whether you’ve played online lottery before or this is your first time, you’ll have plenty to check out.
“The ball was about a yard over the line” – My Dad, Joe Blair (in Ballywalter, 1991).
As time goes on, I became more and more interested in the football career of my Dad. My Dad Joe Blair played 11 a side football in three countries (Northern Ireland, England, Scotland) spanning 7 decades in a decorated career that makes more interesting reading now, than it did when I was younger. The reason is, as recently as 2017 (when he was aged 68!!) my Dad still played a 60 minute match (4 a side) and was the best player on the pitch! I aim to get some more videos, photos and stats added here. Piece by piece. Sadly in the early days of Dad’s playing career not many photos or videos, or match reports exist.
The Football Career of My Dad: Joe Blair
This is an overview of all the teams I have records of Dad playing for, with some incredible facts and stories to come. While Dad never played top flight Irish League or any major leagues in England and Scotland, he played for over 15 different teams and will always be my football hero and my epic journeyman. When I realised how many clubs Dad had played for and the fact that he played in a 4 a side match for 60 minutes with me aged 68 I realised time slipped away and I forgot how good Dad was. Dad played the game for fun and he always played with passion and flair. His mentality and love for the game never wilted. He’d still “drill a penalty hard and low beyond the keeper’s reach”.
The Football Career of My Dad: Joe Blair
As a kid, Dad had a trophy cabinet brimming with trophies from his multiple club career. They will hopefully be around somewhere. It really put my football awards to shame – All I have to show are a BB Jubilee Cup runners up medal and a BB Northern Ireland Cup winners medal, both in the 1990s. Dad played for some crazy teams, and in plenty of different weathers, pitches, stadiums, conditions, colours. Dad rarely said no to a match.
The Football Career of My Dad: Joe Blair
In those days, there are not many records of Dad’s career so I have to piece it all together using the few photos I have, plus my Dad’s chats to me about it as well as some input from my Mum, brothers Marko and Daniel. I really need a long video chat with my Dad to be recorded so I have it all as proof from Dad himself. Most of the stuff written here was peiced together over a number of years and with some research. My brothers are younger than me and didn’t even see Dad play for Bangor Amateurs in what was his Swansong season in 1990 – 1991, when Dad flourished and still played and scored in Amateur League football up to his 42nd birthday. I watched most Dad’s matches live that season, mixed with watching Glentoran FC and the Northern Ireland international team.
Dad and I and our table in Cardiff in 2004 to watch Wales 2-2 Northern Ireland
Video footage of Dad playing football is also rare or non existent – in fact, I couldn’t find ANY video footage of Dad in an 11 a side match. Probably the best video which only shows a glimpse of Dad’s skills and reading of the game, can be seen in the clip below. What’s incredible is that in this clip, it is just a 4 a side match in Belfast in November 2017 and my Dad is 68 years old!! I am the second oldest player on that pitch at 37, so Dad is the oldest player on the pitch by 31 years, yet he was the best player on the pitch. I am in the same team as my Dad here. We are attacking to the right. Dad is wearing the red shirt (a Gibraltar shirt I brought him from my travels) and I am the white shirt as a goalkeeper. Watching this clip from the start, Dad takes his position on the right side of the pitch. From the goalkeeper box, I launch the ball to him. Dad runs and spots Parker in our team just behind and lays the ball back to Parker. Parker shoots and it is saved. Dad tries with the rebound and it is saved again. It is my cousin Connor that makes both saves. Then my cousin Matty shoots against me. I save it and my friend Rafal (from Poland, with a white t shirt and black shorts) taps it to me. Dad has shouted for the ball, so I hit it first time left footed straight to Dad. Dad takes a touch and slots the ball into the bottom corner. He scored goals like that for fun for over 60 years!! In that match, when Dad was aged 68, he scored 6 goals. I was so lucky that my Polish friend Julia actually caught TWO of them on video. Here they are!
Watch one of Dad’s 6 goals here (I set him up for this one):
Watch another of Dad’s 6 goals here (I also set him up for this one):
Dad also goes close to scoring in this clip:
Year – Club – Appearances
Here is a list of clubs/teams/selects that my Dad played football for, at any level be it 11 a side, 5 a side, 4 a side, beach football, walking football etc. Some clubs and teams are certainly missing, especially from 1976 – 1989 and not all stats are accurate. After the list, I detail a little bit about each team.
Ravenhill United – 1959 – 1961
Park Parade 1960 – 1964
Lombard Boys Club 1960 – 1961
Willowfield Parish 1964
Kinnegar United 1964 – 1965
Crusaders Reserves 1965 – 1967
Dunmurry Rec 1965 – 1969
Distillery Reserves 1968 – 1969
Second Bangor Old Boys 1970 – 1974
ICL Seconds 1969
BT Northern Ireland 1971 – 1975
Belfast Phones – Early 70s
Construction ‘A’ 1970 – 1976 (Summer League, dates unclear)
Northern Ireland Tourist Select Boswinger Summer Friendly 1989
Bangor Amateurs 1990 – 1991 Played 6 Scored 3
British Telecom Northern Ireland (tour of Scotland) 1991-1992
Bangor Over 35s 1993
Busby Babes (5 a sides) 1992-1993
Friday Night Club (5 a sides) 1986 – 2000
10th Bangor Old Boys 1998 – 2000
Business In The Community (5 a sides) 2005
Ballyholme Bombers (beach football) – 2011
Daniel’s 18th Birthday Select (5 a sides)
Bangor Walking Football 2016 (5 a sides)
NIMIP Polish Select 2017 (4 a sides) Played 1 Scored 6
Dad’s Notable Matches
1965 – Skegoneil Avenue – Kinnegar United 4-1 Star of the Sea.
Dad scored 2 goals and had 2 assists and was signed for Crusaders after this match.
1967 – The Oval Belfast – Glentoran Seconds 2-1 Crusaders Reserves (Att: 10,000, George Wilson Cup Final) Dad was only 17 when this match happened and was the named sub for Crusaders. He came on early in the match due to an injury and this was his Crusaders debut.
1968 – Seaview, Belfast – Crusaders Select XI v. Northern Ireland Select XI
This match was played behind closed doors in 1968 between a Northern Ireland Select. Dad cannot remember every player on the pitch, but he certainly remembered that he nutmegged Derek Dougan! Derek Dougan played in the 1958 World Cup, played in two European finals and won 43 caps, scoring 8 goals for Northern Ireland in 3 different decades.
1974 – Belfast – Dad’s Electrician Team 5-1 Churchill House (Dad set up Gerry for a hat-trick as they beat favourites Churchill House in a final)
1975 – Valentines, Bangor – Dad went down with a horrific knee injury. Second half, he played on as they only had 11 players, but he was wrecked. He needed to go to hospital on the cartilidge and as Dad sadly professed “I was never the same player again after that”. Dad was only 26 when that happened.
1991 – Ballywalter – Ballywalter 1-0 Bangor Amateurs (Dad sent off for complaining about a goal that was 100% legit)
1999 – Bloomfield Playing Fields – 10th Bangor Old Boys 2-2 ?????????? (Dad and Jonny played ONE full competitive 11 a side match together – Dad centre half, Jonny right back)
2017 – NIMIP Poland Select 28 – 28 Northern Ireland Select – Aged 68 Dad scored 6 goals and was the best player on the pitch by a mile.
Joe Blair’s Career – Club by Club
Below I have gone club by club through my Dad’s career as best I could. I hope to fill all the facts in piece by piece.
Dates – 1965 – 1967
League – Northern Ireland Reserve League
Stadium / Pitches – Seaview, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Kit colours – Red and Black stripes, black shorts, white socks
Played –
Scored –
Dates – 1965 – 1969
League – Division 1 A
Stadium / Pitches – Ashley Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Kit colours – sky blue shirts
Played – Over 100
Scored – Over 50
(Back row – J nesbitt 3 G mcadams 4 T banfield 5 R Watson 9 B gamble
Front row Albert 10 Joe Blair 3 J Milligan 5 Tinkle. Taken circa 1967)
Distillery Reserves
Dates – 1968 – 1969
League –
Stadium / Pitches – Grosvenor Park / Ballyskeagh, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Kit colours – White tops, black shorts
Played –
Scored –
Second Bangor Old Boys
Dates – 1970 – 1974
League –
Stadium / Pitches – Valentines, Bangor, Northern Ireland.
Kit colours – Red and black
Played
Scored
Things are sketchy here. Formed in 1969 as 2nd Bangor Old Boys the club competed in the Old Boys League up until 1977 before joining the Northern Amateur League. In 1979 the club changed it’s name to Bangor Amateurs Football Club and in the 1985-86 season won the Junior Cup.
My Dad back row (third from left)
ICL Seconds
Dates – 1969
League –
Stadium / Pitches – Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Kit colours –
Played –
Scored –
ICL Seconds 1969
BT Northern Ireland
Dates -1971 – 1975
League –
Stadium / Pitches – All over Northern Ireland and away matches in Scotland and England.
Kit colours –
Played Scored –
Belfast Phones
Dates – Early 70s
League –
Stadium / Pitches –
Kit colours
Played Scored
Construction ‘A’
Years – 1970 – 1976
League – Belfast Summer League (dates unclear)
Stadium / Pitches – Dunmurry, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Kit colours – White shirts, white shorts, white socks
One of the rare newspaper clippings of my Dad comes from his time at Construction “A”. This paper cutting was so important to me that I had it in a box for years in the 1990s and 2000s, before finding a way to scan it and reproduce it. In that match, Dad scored a hat-trick and was included in two photos in the paper.
Construction Race into Last Four: Tense moment for the Lisburn Postal defence (above)
Northern Ireland Tourist Select
Year – 1989
League – Boswinger Summer Friendly
Stadium / Pitches – Caravan Park pitch, Boswinger, Cornwall, ENGLAND.
Kit colours – NO.
I actually played in this match alongside Dad and three guys from Omagh (2 sons and their Dad) in an England v. Northern Ireland friendly match on a real pitch at a caravan park in the Boswinger Summer Holiday Camp. There are no photos of that match and I don’t know the score but it was definitely a full pitch and 11 a side. It is possible that my brother Marko also played in this match.
Family Holiday in Cornwall in 1989 and some of the Northern Ireland Tourist Select
Bangor Amateurs
Year – 1990 – 1991
League – Down Area League
Stadium / Pitches – Ballyvarnet. Varied. Valetines, Bangor. Ballywalter, Abbey Villa, Ards Roundabout., all Northern Ireland.
Kit colours – red and black
Played 6+ Scored 3+
1 red card
Dad made a triumphant return to league football in 1990 – 1991 and I was delighted with this. I watched him every week and he played for Bangor Amateurs. This had Dad rolling back the years and I remember how well he played in those matches. It felt like a swansong. He had played for a team called 2nd Bangor Old Boys in the late 1960s and early 1970s. That team changed its name in 1979 to…Bangor Amateurs.
Formed in 1969 as 2nd Bangor Old Boys the club competed in the Old Boys League up until 1977 before joining the Northern Amateur League. In 1979 the club changed it’s name to Bangor Amateurs Football Club and in the 1985-86 season won the Junior Cup. After this successful season the club attained intermediate status football and have gone on to win various other trophies over the years.
A successful 2018/19 season in which the Amateurs 1st team finished 2nd in division 1C they achieved promotion to Division 1B for the 2019/20 season. The 2nd Team finished 2018/19 season in 4th place and will push for promotion in Division 3D of the Northern Amateur League for the 2019/20 season.
British Telecom Northern Ireland (tour of Scotland)
Dates – 1991 – 1992 – 1993
League – Tour of Scotland
Stadium / Pitches – SCOTLAND
Kit colours – BT Northern Ireland wore Green shirts, white shorts and green socks.
Played – 3 (v. Wales, Scotland and England)
Scored – ?
British Telecom Northern Ireland (tour of Scotland) 1991-1992
Bangor Over 35s
Dates – 1992 – 1993
League – Summer League
Stadium / Pitches – Ards Rugby Club, Newtownards, NORTHERN IRELAND
Kit colours –
Played – 6
Scored – ?
Peter Dornan, who played for Linfield and Sheffield Wednesday played alongside my Dad in this summer tournament in 1993. I think it was held over three nights but I just cannot remember. Two other players were Jonesy and Roy Mairs, both were teachers at Bangor Grammar School.
Busby Babes (5 a sides)
Dates – 1992 – 1993
League –
Stadium / Pitches – Maysfield Leisure Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Kit colours – grey t shirt with red and blue BT logo
Played – 3
Scored – At least 3
Nickname Busby Babes came from the fact it was BT in a companies tournament at Maysfield Leisure Centre in Belfast.
BT (5 a sides)
Dates – 1992 – 1994
League –
Stadium / Pitches – Abbey Leisure Centre, Rathcoole, NORTHERN IRELAND
Kit colours
Played Scored
Robbie Cowan and I played with his son, Mark Cowan.
Friday Night Club 1986 – 2000 (5 a sides)
Dates – 1986 – 2000
League – Every Friday Night
Stadium / Pitches – Bangor Leisure Centre, Rathcoole, NORTHERN IRELAND
Kit colours – None.
Played 400+
Scored 400+
Dad played 5 a side football EVERY Friday night for years and years. I couldn’t believe the stamina of him sometimes. He would be home from work at 6 p.m., have his dinner and showered by 7 p.m. and play 5 a side for a full hour from either 8 – 9 p.m. or 9 – 10 p.m.
Participants – Victor Bower, Robin Whitford, Stephen Dumigan, Brian, Gary
The Football Career of My Dad: Joe Blair
BT Euro 1996 Friendly Select
Date – 26th June 1996
League – One-off Euro 1996 Friendly
Stadium / Pitches – Dunmurry, NORTHERN IRELAND
Kit colours – Don’t remember
Played – 1
Scored
When I started to write and research this article, something amazing happened. I suddenly remembered about a forgotten game. Originally, I thought that I had only ever played one competitive 11 a side match alongside my Dad, but this was wrong. As a 16 year old, I headed to Dunmurry with Dad on the same day as the England v. Germany Euro 1996 final. Dad played the full match for a BT select side, but in the second half, they allowed some of the sons to come on and I was one of them. This means, I actually played twice alongside Dad in a proper 11 a side match, but this was simply a friendly. I don’t remember the score, the kit colours or anything else about it except for the fact that I think I played in left midfield and I didn’t score any goals. The match may have finished 2-2.
10th Bangor Old Boys
Dates – 1998 – 2000
League –
Stadium / Pitches – Belfast, Ards and Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND
Kit colours – Blue shirts
Played –
Scored –
Business In The Community (5 a sides)
Dates – 2005
League –
Stadium / Pitches –
Kit colours –
Played –
Scored –
Ballyholme Bombers (Beach football)
Dates –
League –
Stadium / Pitches – Ballyholme Beach, Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND (jumpers for nets)
Kit colours –
Played –
Scored –
Date – Saturday 7th April 2012
5 a side family and friends friendly
Stadium / Pitches – Eddie Irvine Sports, Bangor.
Kit colours – Orange Bibs (Blairs)
Played – 1
Scored – 3+
Attendance – 4 (Cathy Blair, Anna McCullough, Claire McCullough, Panny Yu)
I was living in Hong Kong and made a surprise trip back to Northern Ireland for my brother Daniel Blair’s birthday. To date, this is the ONLY match that I have played with my Dad and both brothers.
Participants – Blairs Select – Joe Blair (captain), Jonny Blair, Marko Blair, Daniel Blair, Connor Blair (late pullout), Matty Blair, Gary McCullough, Lewis McCullough. Northern Ireland Select – Robin Whitford, Michael Whitford, Philip Whitford, Michael McClelland, Gavin McClelland, Brendan Burdock.
Daniel’s 18th Birthday Blairs Select (6 a sides)
Bangor Walking Football 2016 (5 a sides)
Dates –
League –
Stadium / Pitches –
Kit colours –
Played –
Scored –
NIMIP Polish Select 2017 (4 a sides)
Date – Thursday November 2017
4 a side family and friends friendly
Stadium / Pitches – Stormont, Belfast, NORTHERN IRELAND.
Kit colours – Poland Select (white and red) v. Northern Ireland Select (green and white)
Played – 1
Scored – 6
Attendance – 1 (Julia Korcz)
Having relocated to Poland in 2016, I organised a trip home to Northern Ireland in November 2017 to show my two Polish friends Rafal and Julia around my country. On the Thursday night of that trip.
Participants Poland Select – Jonny Blair (captain), Joe Blair, Rafal Kowalczyk, Parker Northern Ireland Select – Matty Blair, Connor Blair, Gary McCullough, ***********
Dad scores one of his 6 goals for the NIMIP Polish Select 2017 (4 a sides)Dad scores one of his 6 goals for the NIMIP Polish Select 2017 (4 a sides)
Joe Blair – Football Management
Dad managed quite a few teams as well and was at one point a player-manager for 10th Bangor Old Boys.
10th Bangor B team 1992 – 1993
10th Bangor A team 1993 – 1996
10th Bangor Old Boys 1999 – 2000
10th Bangor Juniors 2004 – 2006
Dad was my manager for the 10th Bangor B and A team in the 1990s. The weirdest thing about this is that I have three team photos from that era that I am in, and they are all either side of Dad’s time as manager!! (1 is in May 1991, the other 2 are both from 1998). So none of those team photos show Dad and I – in fact Dad probably took those photos.
10th Bangor Juniors, May 1991 in Ballywooley, Northern Ireland10th Bangor Seniors, February 1998 in Valentines, Northern Ireland
Joe Blair – Awards and Honours
1967 – George Wilson Cup runner-up (Crusaders Reserves)
(to be updated)
Joe Blair – Video Footage
Unfortunately in the era that my Dad played from 1958 – 1993, most Amateur matches in Northern Ireland have no videos. I haven’t been able to find ANY video footage of his matches. However, I have myself managed to make some videos of Dad playing football on Copacabana Beach in Brazil during the 2014 World Cup and some 5 a side matches I have played with my Dad down the years.
Northern Irish grounds that Dad confirmed he DEFINITELY played at
Clandeboye Park, Bangor.
Seaview, Belfast.
The Brandywell, Londonderry.
The Oval, Belfast.
New Grosvenor, Belfast.
Solitude, Belfast.
The Valentines, Bangor.
Connor Park, Bangor.
The Bullring, Bangor.
Ashley Park, Dunmurry.
Castlereagh Park, Newtownards.
Wilgar Park (The Hen Run), Belfast.
Northern Irish grounds that Dad confirmed he DIDN’T play at
Stangmore Park – Dungannon Swifts FC.
Milltown – Warrenpoint Town FC.
As Coronavirus hit Europe badly in March 2020, I have spent 19 days of March at home in my flat in Warszawa. Does this mean I wrote more poems and lyrics? NO.
Jonny Blair Poetry: Coronavirus Era (March 2020)
The reason is because most of my writing is done outside my flat, I write about life out in the world, things I see. March 2020 I only penned a hat-trick of new poems. I’ve written less. But on the flipside, I now plan to release all my old 1000+ poems and lyrics on here before whacking them intill a book at some point.
I will release them later, they draw on Crowded House song “Isolation” for inspiration. I have given up alcohol at the moment and the first song is about that freedom.
1.Drunk On The Sun
2.A Girl Out of Date
3.Poem About A Bird
None of these lyrics even particularly reflect Coronavirus or the need to stay at home.
This is a planned collection and ideas for the next poetry to come. Some of them are completed already but will remain unreleased. The title is easy – Nazzbal – the 7 African countries I backpacked through in February 2020 – Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, (South) Africa, Lesotho. I wrote these on tissues during that trip.
Jonny Blair Poetry: Nazzbal (February 2020)
1.A Place of Innocence
2.Unique to Who
3.Reasons For Universal Truth
4.Proof of a Bird
5.Commercial Dynamics
6.Spirit of Adventure
7.Doesn’t Sound Good Enough
8.Fan of Love
9.Unpainted Fortress
10. Forty Seven India House
11.Books In THE Wall
12.Others To Be Added
13.You’re Superglue
14.Don’t Look Like a Zebra
15.Golden Sign
16.Crackaday
17.Coincidences
Short clips:
Whose library of passion will dictate the way I feel?
You couldn’t see the blow he was to deal
And fell onto a cursing hand who made you kneel
When the sun goes down in your town, it’s for real
–
Books in the wall don’t say it all about the man you are
Guests on a shelf of borrowed wealth until your devil calls
He might never call
Sha la la la
//
It’s a pleasant place I find myself in
Belfast city to not get lost in
//
It can blow your mind
It will upset the odds
And my Mum could dance
But she don’t sing
And my Dad will write
But he won’t budge
Although I have been writing poetry and lyrics sine I was about 7 years old, my first compilation wasn’t until I was 17. The oldest songs on this I remember writing were:
New Jersey Girls (written in Florida, June 1996)
Hope and Dream (written in a room at Bangor Grammar School, late 1996)
(Grow?) (written in a room at Bangor Grammar School, late 1996)
Escobar’s Own Goal (written during the World Cup, June 1994)
Jonny Blair Poetry: Too Many Promises (September 1997 – March 1998)
I don’t remember much about writing this collection, “Too Many Promises”, but I was averaging a new poem a week from September 1997 onwards. No idea why the track order is the way it is, nor why I put Grow in brackets with a question mark after it. I recorded this using an old cassette recorder in Bangor, Northern Ireland. My personal favourite song here is “Rare Bite of Pressure” which I have also placed on YouTube (see below). What is also strange for me is that the collection is called “Too Many Promises” and without a song called that. So to put that right, when I made my next collection (Tape Two – Paranoia Creeps In/PCI – May – July 1998), I wrote a song called “Too Many Promises” and made it the first song of the next collection. I wrote most of these in a blue hut at Belvoir Training Centre in the Northern Irish capital city of Belfast.
Blue Hut similar to Belvoir Training Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland
TAPE 1 – JONNY BLAIR – TOO MANY PROMISES (September 1997 – March 1998)
SIDE A
1.No End
2.New Jersey Girls
3.At Random
4.(Grow?)
5.Rare Bite of Pressure (October 1997)
6.Escobar’s Own Goal
7.Work For A Wage (Don’t Fall Away)
8.Next In Line
9.Method)
10.Don’t Join The Queue For Suicide
SIDE B
1.Generation Gap
2.Hope and Dream
3.No Tomorrow
———————–
4.Random Medley -Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (Burt Bacharach) -A Design For Life (Nicky Wire) -Stand By Me (Noel Gallagher)
-A Rare Bite of Pressure (demo)
-No Tomorrow (demo)
-At Random (demo – left off the album and never put on another compilation) -Some Might Say (Noel Gallagher)
5.The Truth (demo – later appeared on Tape Four – Standing On The Sun)
6.Random Medley 2 -Imagine (John Lennon) -Staring At The Sun (U2) -Suicide Is Painless (Johnny Mandel) -Live Forever (Noel Gallagher)
TAPE ONE – TOO MANY PROMISES
SIDE A
1.NO END (Jonny Blair & Michael McClelland, 1997)
The song is about the troubles in Northern Ireland and the fact that they seem to be never ending (or they did in 1997). Most of this song was written at school and tech and co-written with Michael McClelland on a train from Belfast Central to Bangor in September 1997 after attending a NIFSA (Northern Ireland Football Supporters Association) meeting. I think I stole the line “talking’s no good without action” from an Ian Paisley quote on television. The first line for sure is based on Oasis song “Don’t Look Back in Anger”, sorry Noel. Surprisingly I found two recorded versions of this but both times I forgot the original lyrics completely.
It’s hard to tell if it’s day or night because everyone is kept in the dark
All around us the people are sleeping despite what they think they know
Papers only tell the truth
TV too, so what’s the use?
I’ve looked everywhere but I’ve found no end
The Godfathers have control
I’ve looked all around and there is no exit
Talking’s no good without action
Talking’s no good without action
Talking’s no good without action
In this world with no heaven, I’m reading the book with no end
It’s easy to walk out when the enemy comes and that’s not gonna help (us all/to solve)
The problem lies with the new arrivals and their comrades underground
The leaders only disagree
Harmony with compliments please
I’ve looked everywhere but I’ve found no end
The Godfathers have control
I’ve looked all around and there is no exit
Talking’s no good without action
Talking’s no good without action
Talking’s no good without action
In this world with no heaven, I’m reading the book with no end
I’ve looked everywhere but I’ve found no end
The Godfathers have control
I’ve looked all around and there is no exit
Talking’s no good without action
Talking’s no good without action
Talking’s no good without action
In this world with no heaven, I’m reading the book with no end
Even though I played the fool, I wrote this song at school
2.NEW JERSEY GIRLS (Jonny Blair, July 1996)
I remember meeting two beautiful New Jersey girls in the Epcot Centre in Orlando, Florida in July 1996. We chatted about life – they were the same age as me. I met them twice on the same holiday but I never saw them again. In those days there was no Facebook and I never asked for their addresses, in those days no mobile phones either. I don’t even remember their names.
I don’t see them anymore
And as the days go on
I think of my New Jersey Girls
And where have they gone?
I’ve seen them twice
But never since
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
I need your comfort now
I need your comfort now
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Cos I still think of you
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
New Jersey Girls come back to me
New Jersey Girls come back to me
I only have my memories and as the days go by
I long for my New Jersey Girls to fall from the sky
I hear them talk
I see them smile
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
I’m running out of time
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Cos I still think of you
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
New Jersey Girls come back to me
New Jersey Girls come back to me
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
Where are my New Jersey Girls?
I need your comfort now
I need your comfort now
I could search the world for my New Jersey Girls
3.AT RANDOM (Jonny Blair, June 1997)
A song about life in general and spontaneousness. Waiting for something to happen that is not going to.
A lifelong treasure is hard to abandon
Nothing hurts as much as losing touch
Everything around me happens at random
Why is life so ironic?
But why do all the people in the world make a mountain out of a molehill?
I never found an answer to the question I did pose
I’m waiting for the sun to come and I don’t think he knows
No I don’t think he knows
I don’t think he knows
I never got the feeling I was sinking in my clothes
I’m waiting for the sun to come and I don’t think he knows
No I don’t think he knows
I don’t think he know – ow – ow -ow -ow -ows
An unclear message is hard to decipher
Nothing hurts as much as messing up
Everything around me happens at random
Why is life so spontaneous?
But why do all the people in the world make a mountain out of a molehill?
I never found an answer and I think it knid of shows
I’m waiting for the sun to come and I don’t think he knows
No I don’t think he knows
I don’t think he knows
I got this dizzy feeling from my head down to my toes
I’m waiting for the sun to come and I don’t think he knows
No I don’t think he knows
I don’t think he know – ow – ow -ow -ow -ows
But why do all the people in the world make a mountain out of a molehill?
I never found an answer and I think it kind of shows
I’m waiting for the sun to come and I don’t think he knows
No I don’t think he knows
I don’t think he knows
I think I’ll find the answer where the wind of fortune blows
I’m waiting for the sun to come and I don’t think he knows
No I don’t think he knows
I don’t think he know – ow – ow -ow -ow -ows
Everything around us happens at random – that’s the way it goes
I’m waiting for the sun to come and I don’t think he knows
No I don’t think he knows
I don’t think he know – ow – ow -ow -ow -ows
4.(GROW?) (Jonny Blair, September 1997)
This is about being left out of something, growing up, getting old and vanity.
Fear the future cos you know the truth
Slowly make your way to youth
What’s the point in watching the end if you don’t know the beginning?
I left my mirror on the shelf
So I don’t recognise myself
Life can be so cruel when you’re out of fuel
And the garage that sells it, is closed
And you’re out of fuel in your duel with life
Fear the future like you did the past
Give yourself a smile at last
What’s the point in watching the end if you don’t know the beginning?
I left my mirror on the shelf
Because I don’t recognise myself
Life can be so cruel when you’re out of fuel
And the garage that sells it, is closed
And you’re out of fuel in your duel with life
You’re out of fuel in your duel with life
Yeah you’re out of fuel in your duel with life
5.RARE BITE OF PRESSURE (Jonny Blair, October 1997)
This song is actually about playing football and enjoying a “rare bite of pressure” on the pitch trying to get a counter attack goal. The song is also autobiographical, about myself, Northern Ireland’s past and pride. I vividly remembering writing this in the canteen at Belvoir Tech in Belfast. As I was pouring salt on my lunch, I noticed it said “Welsh Rarebit” on the label. I was originally going to call this “rare bit of pressure” but the bite word won me over.
Hope lies flat on a poisoned surface
Everybody’s feeling nervous
Find yourself a moment of peace in a war-drenched society
Cry if you’re not man enough
You can smile, but I’m fed up
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m down on my knees again
And just for good measure, I’m forfeiting love for fame
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m losing my way again
Despite all my effort, looks kill in the face again
Fame sits still in an empty coffin
Everybody’s doing nothing
Find yourself a moment of rest in a state of downward health
Cry if you’re not mad enough
You can smile but I’m fed up
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m dead on the floor again
My infinite pleasure has closed its door again
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m down on my knees again
And just for good measure, I’m trying to ease the pain
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m finding my feet again
But in local weather, I’m drying up with rain
Cold feet might as well be warm feet
On Paracodol Sunday mornings
Find yourself a glimmer of hope in life’s narrow telescope
Danger tastes all troublesome
Fortune is a contagion
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m down on my knees again
And just for good measure, I’m forfeiting love for fame
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m losing my way again
Despite all my effort, looks kill in the face again
Trouble tastes all dangerous
Rhinocerous platypus
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m feeling the strain again
And just for good measure, I’m going to win this game
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m down on the ground again
And just for good measure, I’m giving up love for fame
In a rare bite of pressure, I’m four foot in love for fame
And just for good measure, I’m looking the other way
I want to do better but this rare bite of pressure is begging to differ
6.ESCOBAR’S OWN GOAL (Jonny Blair June 1994 – February 1998)
A blatant tribute to Andres Escobar, the Colombian footballer who played in the 1990 and 1994 World Cup. He was shot dead in his home town of Medellin after scoring an own goal at the 1994 World Cup. Colombia were big favourites to win the tournament with stars such as Carlos Valderamma, Freddy Rincon and Faustino Asprilla. However they lost their first match 3-1 to Romania, then 2-1 to USA which knocked them out. I felt very sad about Escobar’s Own Goal and death. I also remember how during my own football career, not once did I score an own goal, not even in park football, so I didn’t even know the feeling of that. I wanted the song to represent sorry and real life tragedy. The Manic Street Preachers inspired me to write this song about a real-life event which cut me deep. I started the poem in July 1994 but didn’t finish it and add guitar until February 1998.Escobar remains a hero to me.
There’s enough to hang onto in this life
So don’t let pain beat you again
I’m just in the wrong place at the wrong time
Like an innocent victim
Like an innocent victim
I never thought the slightest error
Could result in mortal terror
I guess they proved me wrong
I guess they proved me wrong
Responsibility takes its toll
I’m just in the wrong place at the wrong time
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
One more bed in hospital
One more unneeded funeral
Responsibility takes its toll
I’m just in the wrong place at the wrong time
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
For the sake of pride, don’t risk your life
It’s an expesnive swap
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
Like Escobar’s Own Goal
Escobar’s Own Goal wasn’t worth a soul
7.WORK FOR A WAGE (Jonny Blair, October 1997)
This was clearly written about the transition from being a student to working. “There’s pleasure in pressure” was one of my favourite lines that I wrote. The line “work for a wage” could also be swapped for “don’t fall away” but it sounded too much like an Oasis song title so I scrapped it. Plus, the line came from my grandfather, Samuel Blair who once told me to get out there into the world and “work for a wage”. He was right.
Something all young and guilty has taken over me
I feel the need to change my life and be what I want to be
Close your ears and lose your fears
Close your eyes and realise
Everyone is poised to take the blame
But there’s pleasure in pressure
Work for a wage
Everyone is poised to take the blame
When you reach that age
Work for a wage
Even if you’re begging for fame
Someone all smart and cocky is looking down on me
I feel the need to conquer them and be what I want to be
Close your ears and lose your fears
Close your eyes and visualise
Everyone is good enough for fame
But there’s pleasure in pressure
Work for a wage
Even if you’re begging for fame
If you need a change
Work for a wage
Even if you make a small mistake
But there’s pleasure in pressure
Work for a wage
Even if you’re calling out to fame
If you need a change
Work for a wage
Everyone is poised to take the blame
Everyone is poised to take the blame
8.NEXT IN LINE (Jonny Blair, Late 1997)
About being on the verge of death with no awareness of it at all.
From the beginning you’re nearing the end
You’re finding your feet in a world full of men
And you’ll be last to tell yourself
Cigarettes can harm your health
And you’re begging with time, while you’re waiting in vain
But you’re next in line, and it’s pouring with rain
But you’re next in line, and it’s pouring with rain
From the beginning you’re nearing the end
You’re finding your feet in a world full of men
And you’ll be last to tell yourself
Cigarettes can steal your wealth
And you’re feeling fine even though you suspect
That you’re next in line, for the final ascent
And you’re using your pride to avoid the fact
That you’re next in line, at the top of the pack
And you’re begging with time, while you’re waiting in vain
But you’re next in line, and it’s pouring with rain
But you’re next in line, and it’s pouring with rain
9.METHOD) (Jonny Blair, January 1998)
About drifting away. Inspiration came from watching a “Lean Cuisine” advertisement on UTV. Later when I worked in Tesco, there were actual left over piles of Lean Cuisine! I also liked the choral reference to the Oasis song Digsy’s dinner, which has “Lasagne” in it.
All of a sudden I feel sentimental
Life’s not as bad as I expected
There’s always something good ahead
But I get that feeling again
We’re all part of life’s protein
Left over piles of Lean Cuisine
A contagious drift of God’s disease
But I get that feeling again
I get that feeling again
Just for a second, I went nostalgic
Though I don’t believe in magic
There’s always something good ahead
But I get that feeling again
We’re all part of life’s protein
Left over piles of nicotine
A contagious drift of God’s disease
But I get that feeling again
I get that feeling again
A hole in the wall lets my mind drift
A hole in the wall lets my mind drift
A hole in the wall lets my mind drift
But I’ve got that feeling again
Yes I’ve got that feeling again
We’re all part of life’s protein
Left over piles of Lean cuisine
A message that Jesus sent
But I get that feeling again
I get that feeling again
A hole in the wall lets my mind drift
A hole in the wall lets my mind drift
A hole in the wall lets my mind drift
But I’ve got that feeling again
Yes I’ve got that old feeling again
A hole in the wall lets my mind drift
But I get that feeling again
10.DON’T JOIN THE QUEUE FOR SUICIDE (Jonny Blair, January 1998)
As the title suggests, this is an anti-suicide song inspired by and in the vein of R.E.M.’s Everybody Hurts.
Feeling down
Awake, alone
The world around is a danger zone
Resting near a living fear
Find yourself before you’re gone
When dreams stay in your sleep, don’t admit defeat
Rise up and bathe the world in light
Don’t drift out of sight
Don’t join the queue for suicide
Wait for yourself in paradise
it’s only a stone’s throw away
It’s only a stone’s throw away
Needing hope
An antidote
There’s no need to write a note
Looking vague, a living plague
Find yourself before you’re gone
When hope fades with the sun, don’t be outdone
Stay in the jungle where the big dogs run
Don’t drift out of sight
Don’t join the queue for suicide
Wait for yourself in paradise
It’s only a stone’s throw away
It’s only a hair’s breadth away
Don’t join the queue for suicide
Wait for yourself in paradise
It’s only a stone’s throw away
It’s only a hair’s breadth away
Don’t be joining that queue, it’s not the right thing to do
Don’t join the queue for suicide
Wait for yourself in paradise
SIDE B
1.GENERATION GAP (Jonny Blair, February 1998)
This was written about the Generation Gap between adults that were into the likes of the Beatles (George Harrison reference) to modern youths who are into Oasis (Noel Gallagher) and Manic Street Preachers (Nicky Wire). The song was no doubt inspired by my uncle Jack who was astounded that I could like “Don’t Look Back in Anger” (Oasis) more than “Imagine” by John Lennon. The former song stole the intro from the latter.
I’m trapped in a generation gap
I’m lost in frost
I can’t seem to tell
I’m trapped in a generation gap
I’m stuck in mud
I can’t see too well
There’s no comparison with George Harrison and Lennon and McCartney
But I’d rather listen to Gallagher any day with Wire and Finn
Cos I’m trapped in a generation gap
I’m lost in frost and I can’t seem to tell
There’s no comparison with George Harrison and Lennon and McCartney
But I’d rather listen to Gallagher any day with Wire and Finn
There’s no comparison with George Harrison and Lennon and McCartney
But I’d rather listen to Gallagher any day with Wire and Finn
It’s all because I’m trapped in a generation gap
2.HOPE AND DREAM (Jonny Blair, January 1997)
Originally entitled “It’s Not The End of The World (By Any Means)” which was inspired by and based upon R.E.M. song “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”. I wrote this at Bangor Grammar School. It is about going out, getting a job, being young and naive. It actually lasts about 12 minutes with a 2 minute intro. The reason for that was when I recorded it, I was obsessed with Oasis “Be Here Now” album and I loved the long songs. In the version on the tape, I played both rhythm guitar and lead, recording them in two takes and then recording over one another on an 8-track at Belvoir Tech in Belfast.
It’s the normal situation you find yourself in
The days are flying by, the night are passing in
Recovery is sweet but doesn’t make sense
And you think you’re lost forever
You’ve lost your grip forever
But you’ll never be a loser till you put yourself down
Hope and dream till your turn comes round
Life may be ba-ahad but…
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
There’s still ambition left
Even though you’re falling at the seams
You’ve still got dreams to fulfil
So it’s not the end of the world yet
It’s not the end of the world yet
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It happens all the time and you can’t look back
Your world is grey and your sky is black
Dreams all nightmares and there’s no relief
You don’t think you’ll survive
You don’t think you’ll stay alive
But you’ll never be a loser till you fall apart
Another job interview falls like a dart
Hold on cos, hold on cos…
It’s not the end of the world by any means
There’s still ambition left
Even though you’re falling at the seams
You’ve still got dreams to fulfil
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world
You’ve got no room for regret cos
It’s not the end of the world yet
It’s not the end of the world yet
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
Don’t be as sad as you should be
Life’s not as bad as it could be
But you’ll never be a loser till you fall apart
Another job interview falls like a dart
Hold on cos, hold on cos…
It’s not the end of the world by any means
There’s still ambition left
Even though you’re falling at the seams
You’ve still got dreams to fulfil
And you’ve no room for regret cos
It’s not the end of the world yet
It’s not the end of the world yet
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
Even though you’re down on your knees
You’ve got life in you yet
As far as you’re concerned
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
Don’t decline into self-relief
Hope and dream with firm belief
Hold on cos
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world by any means
There’s still ambition left
Even though you’re down on your knees
You’ve got life in you yet
And you’ve no room for regret cos
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world
It’s not the end of the world
3.NO TOMORROW (Jonny Blair, March 1998)
A love song about a relationship ending, hence the title, you know – no tomorrow! This is mostly poetry. I wrote it on transport (trains and buses) hence the metaphor travel references. I wrote and played it in arpeggio, as it seemed right.
Trust is a two way street; where love finds a way to meet
Love is a cul de sac; you must make your own way back
Don’t get stuck in the traffic
It could turn so tragically
I’m sorry to tell you that there’s no tomorrow
I’m sure better news is bound to follow
Luck is a roundabout; you don’t know where you’ll come out
But life is a motorway; you should cherish every day
Don’t come off at a junction
It could turn so emotionally blue
I’m sorry to tell you but there’s no tomorrow
I’m sure better news is bound to follow
I’m sorry to tell you but there’s no tomorrow
It was in the paper, so it must be true
I’m sorry to tell you but there’s no tomorrow
For me and you
Yeah there’s no tomorrow for me and you
4.SHORT MEDLEY/CLIPS OF RANDOM SONGS -Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (Burt Bacharach) -A Design For Life (Nicky Wire) -Stand By Me (Noel Gallagher)
-A Rare Bite of Pressure (demo)
-No Tomorrow (demo)
-At Random (demo – left off the album and never put on another compilation) -Some Might Say (Noel Gallagher)
5.THE TRUTH (demo – later appeared on Tape Four – Standing On The Sun, Jonny Blair 26th May 1998)
So unusually for this song I have an exact date of writing it. It is about life in general, the ups and downs.
The day grows old over your bones
The night digs deep into your sleep
And all you get is a salary a week
You can love, but it’s not enough
Now you know why life is tough
Listen now if you’ve got a minute
Keep reaching till you find your limit
If you fail, it doesn’t matter
Because you can only go
Up or down on life’s ladder
On life’s ladder, on life’s ladder
If you fail, it doesn’t matter
Because you can only go
Up or down on life’s ladder
On life’s ladder, on life’s ladder
The pain sinks in under your skin
The time ticks past ever so fast
And all you get is a memory to last
You can live but it’s not too much
Now you know what losing does
Listen now if you’ve got a second
Keep reaching till fortune beckons
If you fail, it doesn’t matter
Because you can only go
Up or down on life’s ladder
On life’s ladder, on life’s ladder
Listen now if you’ve got a second
Keep reaching till fortune beckons
If you fail, it doesn’t matter
Because you can only go
Up or down on life’s ladder
On life’s ladder, on life’s ladder
Now you can have no excuse
Cos I’ve just told you the truth
6.SHORT MEDLEY 2 -Imagine (John Lennon) -Staring At The Sun (U2) -Suicide Is Painless (Johnny Mandel) -Live Forever (Noel Gallagher)
New poetry titles from January 2019 – Shakespeare Phones Me For Advice.
Jonny Blair Poetry: Shakespeare Phones Me For Advice (January 2019)
All poems were lost when I lost my old mobile phone but I will try and rewrite similar poems to the titles I had.
1.Owadan Tourism
2.Change the Chorus
3. 3rd Verse
4.Alternate You to Me
5.Cracked Friday
6.Keep it Up
7.Sundown
8.Stare Gat Go
9. Where We Are Half The Time
10. For Womankind #jonnyblairpoetry
1.1440 Faro
2.She Set The Standard High
3.Left Out For A Reason
4.Buy Your Shopping
5.What Number of Year?
6.Sing With Ariana
7.She Didn’t Waken Early Enough to Catch The Morning Sun
8.Idea of a Present
9.Riga’s Not In Barcelona
10.Four Person Banknote Scandal
11.Avid News Watcher
12.Tsuen Wan
13.Uncle Bake
1.1440 Faro
1440 Faro on the aeroplane
Went to Cairo
Didn’t see a drop of rain
1440 Faro on the aeroplane
Stole the words from Ceefax or Teletext
King of Pharoah standing on the aeroplane
Do you see though do you see though good
Islands Faroe sailing on a milkboat dream
Plastically McAuley showed us all the might in green
1440 Faro on the aeroplane
Portugalczyk owner of a matchbox car
1440 Faro on the aeroplane
Passenger seat aisle to sandwich parentic
2.She set the standard high
I have hung up my clothes
I did my own washing
I took a photo to prove it to you
I made myself lunch
A concocted salad
I added vinegar using a spoon
Ah but she set the world alight
She made your dreams tonight
She set the standard high
She set the standard high
I booked the train to Saturday street
Sesame seed burger bap bap Maria Belarus
Wooden Hinchcliff
Peter Shirtlift
Didn’t ring the bells of notre dame
Only on vodka
Demon a drink mole
I took more photos of juice
Ah but she set the world alight
She made your dreams tonight
She set the standard high
She set the standard high
She set the standard high
She set the standard high
Wooden Hinchcliff
3.Left Out For A Reason
Day off high school
Left out for a reason
4.Buy Your Shopping
Go to the supermarket and buy your shopping
You are a normal person in a normal boring town
Wake up in the morning and drink a cup of coffee
You are as dull as dulse on Holywood Bay
You’re so thick you ask a monk to buy your toothpaste
You’re so lazy you got a bot to do your shopping
By pressing a few buttons they brung ye a crate of Venezuelan bananas
5.What Number of Year?
In 1982 he’s doing alright
In 1964 he’s walking his dog
In 2009 he’s having a wank
In 1944 he’s burning a tank
In 1955 we’re staying alive
In 2017 sucking off a dream
6.Sing with Ariana
Open up your heart because you dreamt of Ariana
She made the sound of whispers on the moon
Cast your spell upon the curse of Ariana
She wouldn’t like to spoil you very soon
I want to sing with Ariana again.
I’ll never sing with Ariana again.
Clumber down the stairs and wink your eye at Ariana
She got a golden empty walking hum
Tell your friends that you dated Ariana
She made you think that you were in control
I want to sing with Ariana again.
I’ll never sing with Ariana again.
7.She Didn’t Waken Early Enough to Catch The Morning Sun
She didn’t waken early enough to catch the morning sun.
He walked around her looking so tough when the day had just begun
She didn’t even know how to cook a pizza in the oven.
He spoke of the days where he had mistook sadness for having fun.
8.Idea of a Present
I had the chance to change my life
I don’t mean swap, switch, shift it or alter
I came up with the plan to visit Georgia
I hope it will be the next big adventure
My idea of a present seems so warped it made you sexy
A bombscare in a town that loves bombscares
9.Riga’s Not In Barcelona
Riga’s not in Barcelona
Don’t Latvians speak Catalan
He sat down at the bar and poured his heart out onto me
I don’t know why I believed his former girlfriend
She sent a message to him as they had no WiFi
He could only read the bottled whiskey’s tin
Riga’s not in Barcelona
Don’t Latvians speak Catalan?
Kasia’s orange wrong she says “I love you”
I worked extremely hard to be this man
10.Four Person Banknote Scandal
He stole you stole
She forged you forged
Everything in your pocket when they checked was counterfeit
Money laundering scandal sounded like cash in a washing machine
He cleaned you cleaned
11.Avid News Watcher
Some idiot stands at the bar and tells everyone else what is happening in the world.
It is not that he is clever it is just that he is an avid news watcher.
And he knows sure he knows
Yeah he knows what’s going oh hon.
12.Tsuen Wan Loyal
Dancing dancing dolphin
Dancing dancing dolphin
Dancing dancing dolphin in the sea
Dancing dancing dolphin
Dancing dancing dolphin
Dancing dancing dolphin tai wat seen
13.Uncle Bake
We are goin till thon pake
To catch up with Uncle Bake
We are mixing a milkshake
To drink with Uncle Bake
We are frightening a cake
To scare off Uncle Bake
She bate ye with a rake
By the ghost of Uncle Bake
We are money on the make
To waste on Uncle Bake
We are naked in the lake
With the girl from Uncle Bake
We are mouth with a toothache
There’s a dental Uncle Bake
Your banknote is a fake
Call the printer, Uncle Bake
It’s the fisheries best hake
In the bake of Uncle Bake
At the Bar Finnegans Wake
An alcoholic Uncle Bake
Hattrick of legs for Jake
To compete with Uncle Bake
We all got pills to take
Like a drugged up Uncle Bake
Do it for the sake
For the sake of Uncle Bake
Mexico had an earthquake
Hugo Sanchez Uncle Bake
There’s nothing else at stake
Except to bet on Uncle Bake
The tree you thought was oak
Is a crimson Uncle Bake!
You might wonder what the whole BDSM thing is all about, and I wondered about this too before I got into it big time. I wasn’t actively looking for such sexual or erotic techniques, but they came my way on my wacaday journey around the world. When I was a student at Bournemouth University, I first heard about bdsm dating and I was intrigued.
Nude yoga on the BDSM bandwagon
Naturally I felt the need to indulge into such activities and these are my strongest memories from my sexual and erotic experiences on my journey.
1.Nude Yoga in London
When I heard about nude yoga in London, I got straight onto the scene and emailed Veronika. I was replied to immediately by the lady herself, a Slovakian who invites you into her studio. She whips off her clothes very quickly to reveal pristine boobies and unshaven below parts. Then it’s your turn to get nude. Don’t be shy boys and girls – let the bits hang out and get down to some nude yoga. This really gets your body and sexual parts stimulated ready for the next big erotic scene.
2.Flirty messages via What’s App
From the moment, I met France based lady Vicky Parker in China(a complicated story I know), we were sending audacious flirty messages to each other. From Vicky’s Argentinian kiss to her little childish white fun lies, it was all part of a neuro erotic theme during that period of my life. I sent a nude selfie to wee Vicky but covered my willy as I am sure she didn’t suddenly want to know the size of my slippery snake!
3.Being Handcuffed in Ukraine
While backpacking in Ukraine in 2015, I headed to the famous Masoc cafe in Lviv, where the lad who invented Masoschism came from. Here, I shed my top and was slashed and whipped by a Ukrainian sexbomb mistress whilst also handcuffed to a table. If this doesn’t get you excited then I don’t know what will.
4.Willy massage in Moldova
If you have ever met a Moldovan lady, be aware that any massage they offer you will usually be done in the buff – yes them and you. The girl invites you into the shower and cleans your entire nude skeleton even your balls and penis. Once you are clean, you lie face down and get an oil covered massage. Legs to back. As the legs are stroked, she’ll also whack your back and glide her fingers onto the tip of your willy.
By the time you have turned round, you’ll have a huge erection and it won’t be long until your BDSM desire are conquered as she willy wanks you to perfection in a cosmic ejaculation process.
5.A Night Under The Lamposts of Il Birgu
“You’re mine tonight, now I’ve got you in my sights” – Eric Carmen.
After a romantic dinner date at one of the most exquisite restaurants in the Maltese seaside town of Il Birgu, I once headed on a lovebird walk through the charming old streets. It was here under a dimly lit lampost that myself and my partner indulged in a spot of spontaneous, erotic, public affection. Whether it’s a kiss, a snog, a fondle or even a spot of nookie in public, it is another pure fire way to get the pulses flowing and reach orgasm.
For more experiences like these, you can find out loads online these days at sites such as mybdsmhookups.com. I am always on the lookout for crazy new adventures to enhance my sexual and wacaday desires.
