Out Again

 Hello. Hope you are well. I am writing this while watching the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. Apparently, there is a rumour that Tom Cruise will be abseiling down the Eiffel Tower. I can't tell you why. He's not even French. (Stops to check if that is true and he isn't). All the athletes seem very cheery (or drunk - it's been a long fortnight). 

Believe it or not, we have been away again. We went to Cardiff to see Billy Joel. It was at the Principality Stadium - which is HUGE. I'm not sure that I have been to a concert that size. I'm not sure I will be going again. I have to preface any following remarks by making it clear that I will truck no criticism of Billy Joel. He was brilliant and, if a couple times it became quite obvious that he was in his mid-seventies, he mainly covered it by getting his backing singers to step forward and sing well-known Billy Joel songs like "Nessun Dorma", "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "Green Green Grass of Home" (Wales you see). 

(I'm still watching the closing ceremony. It's dragging a bit, I'll be honest. All I'll say is that by this point in 2012 we had seen The Spice Girls on London taxis, Madness, Kate Moss and a Winston Churchill impressionist. I'll say no more) 

I think any issues that I had around the concert were mainly my fault and - like most things these days - tied in to my advancing years. We had booked tickets at the last minute and could only get spaces directly in front of the stage. NO SEATS. The doors opened at 5pm and Monsieur Joel was due on at 8pm. That's three hours standing up before he even walks on. I'm panicking a bit by now because I can't see any toilets either and, as I said, I am a woman of a certain age and the close proximity of toilets is very important to me. So, I decided not to have anything to drink and I sat on the floor next to a lady who took quite a long time to be able to sit on the floor and was probably now very worried about being able to get back up. 

(The Closing Ceremony now has a shiny thing with wings and antennae arriving which I thought was a big wasp but apparently, it's meant to be an alien according to Head of House. No, I don't know why).

After a period of time that seemed longer than any period of time that I had experienced in my life before, we had to stand up because someone called Chris Isaak came on and sang some songs - none of which I could whistle now - I'm sorry if you are a big fan. He had nice teeth and I can say this because he was very close up on the big screen. Then he went. The lady who struggled with the getting up and getting down went to the bar for the rest of her family. Anything to get her legs moving I suppose. I realised at this point that I actually couldn't feel my legs which was a bit of a worry as I was standing up. After a while (quite a while) Billy Joel came on and was absolutely marvellous for two hours. I did notice that the lady never came back from the bar. Hopefully, she demanded a seat somewhere and was banging out Piano Man at the top of her voice.

(Back to the ceremony. I do believe that the City where the Olympics will be held next normally comes on and does 20 minutes. I believe it's Los Angeles. It would be a blessed relief at this point to have something Song and Dance from Hugh Jackman or Liberace or someone. Maybe that's where Tom Cruise comes in). 

The thing is, when I go to a concert, I'm not very good at it. I'm quite the introvert really. I like to listen, sing a bit, sway a bit and that's it really. I am happy. Then I start to feel as if I am rubbish because I'm not jumping up and down like the ten people behind me who are bellowing 

"Why would anyone put change on me?"

Change? Change! What do you mean 2ps or 1ps? It's chains! CHAINS. (I know it's Lionel Ritchie. It's a long story). 

Then I start to wonder if I am ruining it for everyone else but I look across and see my daughter who is filming "Vienna" as he sings it and accompanying him in song. It seems that I am not ruining it for anyone.

(Ceremony - a masked man is playing a loud guitar. Is that Tom Cruise do you think?)

About the filming on phones. I mean, I understand filming your favourite song and another few bits and pieces but the man in front of me filmed on and off all night. I mean, who do you show it to? "Come and have a look at my hour-and-a-half of footage of Billy Joel in concert. It's brilliant. No, come back!"

I could get to feel quite down on myself given half a chance because I can't be as jiggy as everyone else. 

If I was feeling a bit preachy, which I haven't done for about fifteen years, I would need to point out that we are all supposed to be exactly who we are. In Christian terms, I have contributed much less than say John Wesley or CS Lewis or their dogs really but thems the breaks Christian-wise as they say. All are precious in his sight. 

I'll leave you with a photo of my gig wristband. Second in 12 months. Who even am I? Have a great week.

(Blimey. Tom Cruise has just abseiled into the Stad de France. Who would have thought it?)