80s – Page 3 – Five Miles Out

The Mind Has a Reason for Talking Aloud

In 1992 the government of the day decided that Further Education Colleges should be removed from Local Authority control and become independent. No one is entirely sure if they mean the same thing to happen to sixth form colleges, or whether it was a quirk of the legal definition. Whichever it was from 1st AprilContinue reading “The Mind Has a Reason for Talking Aloud”

I Never Will Forget Those Nights

After Kom Ombo (https://wordpress.com/post/fivemilesout.home.blog/1969 ) it was cruising again – to Aswan, site of the famous dam and as far up the Nile as you can get on a cruiser now. I woke early as we smoothly docked – it was Eid and incredibly quiet. It was an early start as we went on FeluccaContinue reading “I Never Will Forget Those Nights”

The wildman, he laid the thunder down

I am sure that people are annoyed with me banging on about Brexit. I am absolutely happy to accept the one that was promised – £350 million a week better off, no downside, continued access on trade with no tariffs and where they need us more than we need them. The “deal” that Johnson broughtContinue reading “The wildman, he laid the thunder down”

It’s 8.15 and that’s the time it’s always been

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark were (or are) a synth band from Liverpool. Mike was always a much bigger fan than me. I have to admit that I think that their output was much less good after their third album Architecture and Morality. Even on that album half the tracks were touched by genius andContinue reading “It’s 8.15 and that’s the time it’s always been”

No need to fight

2011 and Dad and I went to Egypt in the Autumn. We had been due to go in February, but the Arab Spring happened and at the last-minute insurance cover was withdrawn. Tourism was still a fraction of the normal level with the usual crowds missing. We had to have an army guard with usContinue reading “No need to fight”

I’ll stand beside you in the rain

In 1983 I applied for university via UCCA (UCCA was for universities, it was PCAS for polytechnics, now they are merged as UCAS) which was pretty nerve wracking. I had been fascinated by Cambridge ever since I went there as a child, so it had to be top of my list, otherwise they rejected youContinue reading “I’ll stand beside you in the rain”

And possibly the complications

Australia meant little in the UK in the early 80s. First came Men At Work with their clever comedy song Down Under containing its stereotypical view of Australian life. Then came the soap operas Neighbours and Home and Away. (Early Neighbours cast including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Jim Dale who would all go ontoContinue reading “And possibly the complications”

So many people have come and gone

My first summer scout camp turned out to be the best one. I didn’t think that it would be at the time as it seemed pretty primitive, but I did not know primitive at the time, but I would find out. The following year would be Gradbach (https://fivemilesout.home.blog/2020/10/09/young-blokes-sitting-on-the-benches/ ) and the year after that Lochearnhead,Continue reading “So many people have come and gone”

Well, he tries to keep his talkin’ to a minimum

A good commentator can add so much to sport. A bad one can destroy the experience. When I was at university all the football commentators felt the urge to talk all the time and if there had been an option to mute the commentary we would have done. My favourite commentator was Richie Benaud. AContinue reading “Well, he tries to keep his talkin’ to a minimum”

You cry out in your sleep

After Virgin lost the licence to print Doctor Who novels (https://fivemilesout.home.blog/2020/11/01/lets-all-meet-up-in-the-year-2000/ ) they had enough characters and concepts that they had created to continue the series. The lead character was the popular companion Benny Summerfield. She had to be split up from her husband Jason Kane (there are no happy ever afters in continuing fictionContinue reading “You cry out in your sleep”